Inner Battles
by EllieCullen0413
Summary: Series of oneshots about how the Cullen Family were feeling and what they were thinking when Edward had left Bella. She had made such an impact on each of them, she was part of the family. It wasn't just Edward and Bella who were left heartbroken. N.M
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(AN: For some reason I thought of this idea when I listened to 'Rosyln' on the new moon soundtrack. In the film it's played just before Edward leaves Bella... when he says "come take a walk with me" – meeeh heartbreaking! – but for some reason I found myself thinking about the Cullen's when I was listening to it and what **__**they**__** were going through at the same time. It's written in third person which I haven't done before but it means that you can get a sense of what each of them are feeling. )**_

It was last night Edward had finally made the decision to leave Bella which – of course – meant that every member of the Cullen's had to leave her too. The majority of the house was packed away in boxes, only the large furniture remained. The Cullen's had moved away from their various homes many times and for many reasons, but never _this _reason. Never had a move affected them all in this way. It was as if they were each leaving a piece of themselves behind and in a way... they were. Bella had become as big a part of the family as the rest of them and it was a completely inconceivable idea to even imagine leaving her behind – alone. But they had all agreed to accept Edward's wishes, no matter how much they disagreed with them.

The room was completely silent. Nobody was moving and nobody was talking. Each of them were lost in their thoughts.

Rosalie was sitting in a chair by herself, flicking through a magazine. Of course she was not really reading it. It was just a prop that distracted her family from her own gloominess which she would never admit. She did consider Bella a sister, of sorts, and was thankful for the happiness that she gave Edward and her family. But if truth be told she was not saddened by abandoning her, she had never considered it a good idea for Bella to be so included in her family and to know so much about them... but she was hurt by the sight of her loved ones almost mourning for the human girl. _She'll get over him, _Rosalie thought... _We'll get over her._

Jasper was facing one of the large stone walls. His head was in his hands which were pressed into the brick work. He was absolutely inconsolable, imagining that all of this was his fault. He repeatedly cursed his lack of control and could hardly believe that Edward had not kicked him out of the family. Jasper knew that he would never leave his family, not just because Alice would never allow it, but for the fact that this family made him feel as though he finally belonged in this world... they made him feel _happy._ But at this point in time he was overloaded with the downhearted emotions emanating from the five immortals that surrounded him. Ironically, he was grateful that he was not in the presence of Edward... or Bella. He had spent enough time with Bella to know of her love for Edward and knew her well enough to know that she would be in a state of extreme depression for a long time and the thought of feeling what she must be feeling almost brought his steady frame to his knees.

Carlisle was leaning against one of the glass panes that made up the east side of the house. His eyes were studying the forestry in front of him, scanning the trees for the arrival of Edward. His thoughts were with his son, hoping that he changed his mind and had decided to stay, but knowing all too well that he would not have. Carlisle was considering the possibility of Edward leaving the family for while to spend some time by himself – it would not have been the first time. But Alice had insisted that he would not, either that or he had not yet decided to. He understood the reasons why his son wanted to leave, though he couldn't bring himself to agree with them. Similarly to Jasper, Carlisle knew the possibilities of Bella's reaction to the situation. As a physician he had encountered both men and women who had plunged into an emotional and physical state of depression and he prayed that Bella would not become one of them. Carlisle was always blown away by the faith and devotion that the young girl had shown both Edward and the rest of them. He had hoped to see her one day complete their family and he fully regretted that she would not. He was sure Edward would never find another love, therefore meaning that his family would never be whole again.

Emmett was standing against the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen. His arms were raised so that his hands were placed on the back of his head, making him look even broader than usual. His right leg was bent and his foot was resting against the wall. His eyes looked forward into nothing and refused to blink. Anger was rushing through his body. He couldn't understand why his brother had not changed Bella to become one of them. From his point of view it just looked like Edward almost enjoyed being miserable! He loved his brother dearly and always would, but at this point in time he hated him. He hated Edward for not changing Bella, he hated Edward for leaving her, he hated Edward for taking him away from her, away from the girl who he considered a sister from the first time she stepped into their house, away from the girl who he loved teasing, away from the girl who he would do anything for, away from the girl who reminded him so much of his own little sister – though he had almost forgotten what she looked like. In truth, Emmett had seen so much of himself in Bella. They had both been chosen to join the family through love and he couldn't imagine being in Bella's situation... if Rosalie had saved him only to leave him alone, and hurting more than the burning of a transformation. His anger finally boiled over and he clenched his fist into a ball and smashed it into the plaster behind him. His right leg that had been bent against the wall followed suit and also crashed it into the wall creating both a large hole and a long crack that stretched to the ceiling.

"This sucks." He said, conveniently summing up everyone's thoughts in two words after the hours of silence, as he slumped into one of the couches burying his face in his hands. Seeing his distress, Rosalie dropped her magazine and made her way to his side, sitting beside him and caressing his back. As if adding insult to her injury he lifted his head momentarily to give her a weak smile and then dropped it again.

No body else had responded to Emmett's outburst – not even Esme. She was distracted, praying for Bella. Esme had been in a similar position to the one Bella would be in shortly – stripped of the only true love she had ever felt. Esme knew all too well what she had done in an attempt to end the pain and prayed that Bella would not. Bella was young, and still had the chance of a happy life. But Esme had seen how Bella acted around Edward, how she talked about him, how she looked at him. Call it a mother's intuition or not, but Esme had no doubt that they were meant to be together. She found herself remembering the night when Alice had first seen a chance that Edward and Bella would fall in love and the sheer joy that she felt about it. She tried to hang on to it, that precious feeling that seemed so lost now, but she couldn't. She wished now more than ever that she was capable of crying. She wished she could shed a tear for her daughter that she would never see again. She leant against Alice's head who was lying in Esme's comforting arms, one of her hands rubbing Alice's shoulder and the other stroking her hair.

Alice was both completely distraught and unconcerned. Half of her being was devastated beyond any recognition. She had been torn away from her best friend, someone who she loved greatly. Edward had begged her not to make any more contact with her, unwillingly she agreed though it didn't pass without argument. She understood that for Bella to truly ever move on, she couldn't be reminded of Edward in any way, though Alice doubted that Bella would ever forget him nor move on. That is what the other half Alice was fighting for. She had seen it – seen Bella as one of them! And that vision did not change with Edward's decision to leave, further adding to her belief that they should not leave. Like Emmett, she was furious at Edward. Why couldn't he understand that he and Bella were destined to be together! He had the ability to see into her mind, to see how obvious it was, and yet he refused to look at what was in front of him! So the battle between the present and future raged within Alice and she knew it would until things were set right again.

Suddenly Alice was hit by the vision of Bella that she did not want to see. Edward had obviously gone through with it, as she knew he would, but instead of returning home as Edward assumed she would, Bella was going to follow him – well try to anyway. Of course she couldn't catch him up, and never would. What possessed her to try to follow him though she was fully aware that it was hopeless?

As she watched her, Alice felt as though she was experiencing what Bella was, feeling everything she was feeling. It was then when Alice truly became submerged in the feeling of utter loss. The future that Alice was longing for was losing considerably in the war against the wretched present. She found herself reaching out as Bella did in an attempt to pull the already long gone Edward back to her and fell out of Esme's arms to the even surface of the couch. As Bella cried, she cried. Alice hit the cushion with her clenched fist and then uncharacteristically smashed it into the small table that was situated next to the couch. The table flew into the nearest wall and shattered on impact.

Jasper was quickly by her side, trying to hold on to her writhing wrists. "Alice! Alice! Calm down. What's happened?"

"How could he? How could he?" She repeated, shaking her head.

Esme looked at her daughter sorrowfully and made her way into Carlisle's arms unable to cope with the despair radiating from Jasper.

Carlisle kissed her gently on the forehead, but didn't take his eyes away from the edge of the forest.

Within seconds, Edward appeared.

"He's here." Carlisle said simply.

Alice continued to cry out for Bella, the reality of the situation hitting her hard.

Edward entered the room slowly, preparing himself for the argument that would surely present itself after being bombarded with the thoughts of his family. But he took one look at the faces of his brothers and sisters, his mother and his father and regretted ever putting them in this position. Guilt washed through him like a tidal wave. He knew that for the rest of his days he would feel sorrow and loss for he would never be able to forget the precious Bella Swan, nor would he ever find another love. He would only see her, for the rest of his existence. But he would never be with her, never _truly_ see her, so he would be forever in this state of grief. He could not subject his family to this. They should be able to move on, just as he wished Bella would, but like her they would not be able to with his being there.

Alice saw it then, the vision that Carlisle had expected all along. The growl that was building in her chest instead came out as a whimper.

"Edward?" She questioned. Her head filled with the image of him running, running forever. "It won't last Edward. You will go back to her." The venom once again pooling in her mouth as the anger bubbled at the surface. _Can't you see it? Why won't you look at it? Why won't you accept it? _She shouted at him internally.

He simply shook his head, not saying a word and exited the house once again, this time he believed that he would not return to the ones he called family.

"Edward!" Alice called after him. "Edward!" Again she called, but angrier.

She was running after him into the density of the trees.

She knew she wouldn't catch him, but she continued running. Alice poignantly remembered wondering why Bella had run after her brother no more than three minutes ago and here she was, mimicking the same exact act.

Alice stopped and shut her eyes, searching into Edward's immediate future, trying to work out where he was going. She recognised the place, she and Jasper had ventured there before, but even better – she knew a faster way to get there than the way Edward was heading.

She leapt up to the branch above her and jumped from bough to bough. She saw him then, running below her. She pushed as hard as she could from the last branch, flying straight into Edward. They rolled together for fifty yards before they both came to a stop, landing on their feet.

Instinctively Edward grabbed her by her throat and pressed her against the nearest tree. He looked up into her frightened eyes and immediately dropped her. He was going to apologise, but as her feet gently touched the ground, without even making a sound, her eyes changed into a glare.

"Leave me alone, Alice." He growled.

He turned to leave but was pushed to the ground from behind.

Alice was snarling viciously at her brother. The image of Bella lying on the dirty ground not too far from here repeatedly flickered in her mind.

"Stop it, Alice." He begged. "Please."

She let go of him, for the first time realising that he was hurting just as much as Bella. She fell to her knees when she finally comprehended that not only had she lost her sister tonight, but her brother. They made one another whole and without each other they were simply not complete.

"I'm sorry." She cried.

Edward embraced his favourite sister, silently begging for forgiveness. His head abruptly filled with images of his beloved Bella screaming long into the night, doing nothing during the day and becoming more and more thinner – as if she was about to disappear into thin air.

"Stop it Alice!" He almost screamed, pushing her away by her shoulders.

Alice knew what was going to happen to Bella, what she was going to _do,_ for Alice would do exactly the same if Jasper left her. Of course, Alice couldn't see a vision of this, but she didn't need to.

"No. That won't happen!" Edward spat in reply to her thoughts. Of course he had considered Bella's thoughts and feelings about this situation and did wonder if she would do such a thing – take her life. But she was just a human, incapable of the love that he felt for her. He knew she would one day get over him... and forget him. "Bella promised." He added, sombrely.

Alice shut her eyes, hoping to find some evidence of Edward's words in Bella's future... but the same images resonated in her mind. Bella – an empty shell of her former self.

Edward hissed aggressively. "Don't be looking for her future either! We've done enough damage. Let her be! Let her live her life in peace."

"But Edward..."

"No." He said simply, starting to stand up and walk away.

"Edward..." Alice whispered, from her knees, holding on to his hand, trying to keep him there, though her visions told her that it was a lost cause. "Don't do this."

Her words were too much for Edward, for Bella had spoken the exact same ones not long ago. For the second time in less than ten minutes he was leaving a girl that he loved alone in the forest, while she was begging him to stay. His guilt evaporated slightly when the thoughts of his family entered his mind. They were not far away now, meaning Alice would soon be comforted in the arms of her loved one... but also that he needed to get away. He could escape from Alice's hands, but not from his brothers.

"Love you, Alice." He breathed. They were the same words he wished he could have told Bella when he left her.

Alice's breath stuttered as she inhaled. "Edward." She breathed once again. With every step she heard him take, the future that she was trying so hard to hold on to, that she tried so hard to get him to see, was slowly weakening. But it never vanished; it was always there, in her periphery of her extra sight. It would always be an option, she knew, even if Edward didn't. He had already vanished from her sight when she eventually opened her eyes; the only evidence that he had been there were the small leaves, slightly shaking from his hasty exit and his scent that still hung in the air around her. She stood, about to chase him once again, she needed to stop him.

She had taken one step before Jasper's arms were around her waist. "Let him go, darling."

She stopped struggling and turned to embrace her husband. The four other members of her family joined them both, and in unison they all looked in the direction that Edward had left, each of them fighting the urge to follow him and bring him home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: This is purely dedicated to **_**Twilighter Tabitha**_** who gave me a reason to continue this though I never planned to!)**_

Two months had passed. Two months since the Cullen family had left the small, wet, overcast, but ever so convenient town of Forks. They were slightly unprepared due to the short notice of their departure, so they made their way to Denali for a short term solution... However, they still found themselves there nine weeks later. Everyone was comfortable with the situation. There were eleven of them now living in the rustic and tasteful house, though it appeared as though there was never an occasion where all of them were there at the same time. This wasn't the first time that the Cullen's had stayed with their immortal cousins, though tensions started to rise between Edward and Tanya on the last occasion, causing the Cullen's eventual departure. Edward was far more than fed up of her constant attempts to woo him. Carlisle hadn't the heart, or the courage, to give the real reason for their leaving. Instead he used the excuse that Edward had been picking up some questioning thoughts from locals. "_We're becoming too noticeable." _He had said, but yet, here they were again.

Carlisle had easily acquired a temporary job at the local hospital and spent much of his time there. He was always distracted these days, a part of his mind always with Edward... and _Bella_. Her name had not been mentioned once since Carlisle had informed his extended family of the reason for their visit. Her name had silently turned into a taboo of sorts; nobody wanted to talk about her in fear that it would bring with it too much sadness. Though, this did not stop them from thinking about her... and missing her... as they missed Edward. Bella had injected life into each of them, something that had not felt for decades. Her pumping blood pumped through each of them, by leaving her they had cut off their own life supply. The blood had stopped beating and went cold, as did they, once again.

As if to rub salt in the wound, Edward had not contacted them since his swift disappearance. They were all incredibly worried about him, for Bella had meant so much more to him. She was his heart, his soul, the reason for his existence, the essence of his life.

But, once again, not one of them spoke of this. Their lives consisted mainly of silence now, though each of them was trying so hard not to admit it... Except for Alice...

Alice was very much living in the future, the future that still danced on the very edge of her vision. She had looked at her family on that fateful day in the forest, their sad faces, and hardly recognised them. So she made the decision that she would not be downhearted, she would not give up, and she would not become one of them, for there was no need. Edward would come back, and then they would all go back to Bella. She didn't know when, but she knew it would happen.

To confirm this she had even refused to unpack her belongings. _"Why should I? I really can't be bothered to unpack everything just to repack it again in a few weeks." _She had said to Carlisle when he had asked. In truth, she knew that it wouldn't be a matter of weeks as she knew how stubborn her brother was. The more likely prediction would be months... she shuddered at the thought of it being years. _Either way, _she thought,_ it will happen_.

Tanya, Kate and Irina were away at this moment, Carmen and Eleazar were running around the local forest not exactly enjoying the sombre atmosphere the Cullen's had brought upon their house.

Carlisle was filling in his patient evaluation forms in the chair next to the window. The low winter sun was bouncing off his arm and the left side of his face. He enjoyed being in the sun, the gentle warmth it gave to the surface of his skin and the colours that flew off it.

Esme was next to him, studying some blueprints for a house in New York State that she wanted to develop. She was desperate for her own home again. As much as she loved Tanya and her family and felt completely welcomed in their home, she missed being the hostess; she missed having her own home with her own family. _Family, _she sighed.

Carlisle's eyes drifted to his wife and a weak smile crossed his face. He knew what she was thinking, he knew how sad she was about Edward leaving, and even more so about his lack of contact. Like any mother she was irrationally concerned about him, even though he was more than capable of taking care of himself. Carlisle laughed internally at the thought of Edward getting into any trouble; he was more worried about what Edward would do to himself.

Jasper was lounging on one of the large red sofa's that matched the colour of the walls perfectly. He was reading a Civil-War novel, waiting for Alice to return from shopping. Instead of unpacking she decided to practically live out of shops and boutiques when her clothes eventually started to wear down. He admired her stubbornness and her unwillingness to give up, even though he had. He felt Edward's absolute devastation for himself and he wholly believed that Edward was not going to come back. He felt his family's surrendered emotions as well; they had all given up hope... though he would never admit that to Alice.

Rosalie was flicking through a book of curtain samples, matching them to the notes Esme had made on the colour schemes for each room of the New York house. Her eyes looked over to Emmett every six pages, though there was no change in his appearance, expression or actions... there never was anymore.

Emmett missed his brother... and his sister. He missed Edward and the way he always smiled crookedly at his jokes, whether they were they were said allowed or internally. He missed Bella and the way she blushed whenever anyone paid her any attention. He missed the fact that he could always make Edward lighten up whenever he was stressed. He missed the way Bella's heartbeat raced whenever Edward touched her. He missed annoying Edward, though he was sure he enjoyed it – something only a brother could understand. He missed the way Bella stumbled and fumbled over everything and anything. He missed Edward's music – there was no music anymore. He missed the laughter Bella had brought – there was no laughter anymore.

Rosalie's eyes stopped moving and fell on Emmett when he sighed heavily for the thirty-second time that day. Her nostrils flared and she threw down the sample book. Without saying a word she rushed upstairs into her and Emmett's makeshift bedroom. All that could be heard downstairs was the zipping of bags and the banging of wardrobe doors. She was back downstairs in eighteen seconds with two huge back packs in just one of her hands. She threw one of them at Emmett.

"Right, come on. Get up!" She said.

"Rose? What are you doing?" He asked, catching the bag.

"_We_ are doing..._ something._" She almost screeched.

He looked through the bag in his hands. Passports, money, enough clothes for a month at least. "Rose, I don't think that's a good idea at the moment." He said, understanding her idea. He nodded his head towards Esme.

"Please, Emmett." Rosalie begged. "Call it a second honeymoon! I just need to get out of here." _You need to get out of here, _she added silently.

Esme's hands were beginning to shake uncontrollably with her unstable emotions, causing Jasper's head to suddenly lift. He moved to her side and placed his hand on hers.

"Esme." He whispered. "It's ok."

Carlisle moved to stand beside his wife, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I just... I just... can't..." She stuttered. _I just can't lose anyone else, _she wanted to say.

Alice danced in, just at the right moment, humming a delightful tune in her high soprano voice. "I thought I better drop by before you left." She said skipping by Rosalie causing her to roll her eyes. "Oh, and tell you all that Edwards going to call... now." She smiled, just as Carlisle's cell phone started to ring. "I didn't want you to miss it." She winked at her huge, smiling brother.

"Edward." Carlisle exhaled, into the phone. "How are you? Where are you?"

"Hello Carlisle. I'm fine. I'm somewhere near Texas, I think." He said each word so weakly, as if he was completely exhausted.

Everyone picked up on the tone and Carlisle decided to lighten the mood, not wanting Edward to hang up on him. "Well you've managed to catch us all here at the same time. Very rare. Good timing, son."

"Well, I just thought I'd check in, so you weren't worrying."

"Yes, thank you. Emmett and Rosalie are leaving soon, for a second honeymoon of sorts, maybe they could meet you somewhere..."

"No." Edward almost spat, showing the first bit of emotion since calling. They could all hear his deep inhale. "Sorry, I mean, I can't. I might not be here for long. I'm not anywhere for long... I'm trying to find somebody. I'm... tracking." He added, almost embarrassed at the word.

Everyone looked at each other, all of them completely confused.

"What... do you mean Edward?" Carlisle asked carefully.

Edward exhaled. "Victoria."

Esme gasped, snatching the phone from Carlisle.

"James' mate?" Emmett whispered to Alice. "The red-head?"

She nodded.

"Edward, this is your mother. What are you thinking?" Esme spoke quickly.

"She's just unfinished business, Esme." Edward said strongly.

"Then tell us where you are! We'll come and help you! She's _all_ of our unfinished business!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes harshly and placed the back pack on her back and her hands on her hips.

"What... what if you get hur-" Esme tried to argue.

"This is something that _I _have to do." Edward said, once again showing no emotion in his tone. "To make sure... _she's... _safe." His breath stuttered.

Esme pressed her lips close together and closed her eyes, as if she was trying to keep in the tears that would never come. _Come home to me now! _She wanted to cry. _Stop this stupid game and come home. Your broken heart will not heal itself, but we could help... Bella could help_, she wanted to tell him, but knew she shouldn't, that she couldn't. "I love you, Edward." She said, despairingly and pushed the phone back into Carlisle's hands.

"I love you too, mom." He replied, just as pained.

"Have a lovely holiday." Esme said to Rosalie, before she jumped out of the French windows and ran towards the forest.

Jasper looked at Alice and she nodded in reply, knowing what it was that he wanted to do. "Tell Edward I said hello." He said as he took off after his adoptive mother hoping he would be able to calm her down again.

"I've upset her, haven't I?" Edward spoke.

"She's your mother and she loves you, but she misses you very much, son. We all do." Carlisle said.

Edward paused at the other end of the phone. He knew this would happen if he called his family. This was the reason he hadn't called in so long. They had a right to know where he was and _how _he was... but he also knew that they would never understand. They would never understand how he's feeling and never understand why he couldn't go back to them... for their sake. He knew they would beg him to come home, and he knew that by speaking to them he would feel even worse for leaving... for putting them through this in the first place. And that they would be even more dejected when he told them that he would not be coming back. "I shouldn't have called." He said distantly.

"Edward –" Carlisle tried to protest softly.

"I'm sorry, Carlisle." Edward said coldly, about to hang up the phone.

"Edward Cullen! You listen to me boy!" Carlisle shouted sternly. "God damn it Edward. We are not pressuring you to come home, we are not angry at you for leaving, we know that you have to heal before you can return, we all know how hard you are finding this... but you are not the only one who is heartbroken!"

Carlisle knew what was coming next, and Edward did not disappoint. The line went dead.

_Typical Edward, always with the Melodrama, _Rosalie thought viciously. She wished he would hurry up and get over the human. She wanted nothing more than for things to get back to normal. She didn't want to be blamed for upsetting Esme just because she wanted to go on holiday... it was Edward's fault after all.

Emmett stood completely dumbstruck, his mouth hanging open in shock. He was not shocked by Edward's actions or words – he was practically expecting that – but he couldn't believe Carlisle had spoken like that! He had never heard such words come from Carlisle's lips and with such authority and strength. He didn't know whether to laugh or clap his old-man on the back.

Alice saw past the drama and could only see Carlisle's guilty, sorrowful and regretful face. She walked over to him slowly and rubbed his arm. "He'll call again, Carlisle. Not for a while, but he will. He's already made the decision." She smiled delicately.

Carlisle closed his eyes peacefully as he placed his cell phone back into his pocket. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, as a human would if they had a headache. "I shouldn't have said that. I've only upset him more."

"Edward knows what he has to do to stop all of this Carlisle." Alice said through her teeth. "So he's only bringing this on himself. You shouldn't pity him and you shouldn't feel so guilty for saying what needed to be said."

"Here, here." Emmett chuckled.

Alice's shoulders fell and her face relaxed. She loved how easy going Emmett was and how he could relieve any situation, probably without even realising it.

She turned back to Carlisle and smiled. "I know it's not exactly clear..." How she wished it was. "... but he will make the right choice. Eventually." She smiled, embracing the image of being back in Forks – with Bella – no matter how far on the periphery it was. Alice understood her visions better than anyone else, much more than Edward thought he did. He would have seen it as an option – because he knew how easy it would be, for him to go back to Bella. But Alice knew better. It was more than an option... it was an inevitability. Always there, just waiting to become the present. "We will go back to Forks, Carlisle. _All _of us." She added, ever so gracefully as she pivoted on the balls of her feet and headed for the French windows. "I'm going to go and find Esme and Jazz."

She leaped gracefully towards the grass, but stopped as her feet contacted the ground. "Oh, how rude of me!" She ran back and leant against the frame of the door. "Have a lovely time in Africa!" She winked at Emmett and smiled at Rosalie and then ran off into the forest.

Emmett's eyes followed his pixie of a sister into the forest. As soon as she was out of his sight he turned back to Rosalie. "We're going to Africa?" He said, a mixture between ecstatic, apprehensive and stunned.

"Apparently so." She said, wrinkling her nose. "I was just going to see what the first available flight was and make you get on it! Apparently it's one to Africa... because _Alice knows all!_" She added in a voice that resembled a dodgy fortune teller at a carnival, wriggling her fingers in character.

Emmett erupted with laughter that seemed to echo throughout the house.

Rosalie's face lit up and a smile stretched across her perfect face. It was the first time he had laughed like that since... since he installed Bella's radio in her truck. For the first time since they left, Rosalie missed the human girl and the joy she brought to her husband. But maybe this was the sign of things to come, the beginning of the restoration for her family.

"Well, I've always wanted to go to Africa!" Emmett said, jolly once again. He thought about all of the game he would find over there, it made his mouth water.

Carlisle smiled and wished Esme and Jasper were here to witness his exuberant behaviour. "If you manage to leave in the next few hours you should arrive there at night. I'd make your way quickly to the jungle though; the sun rises very early there."

Emmett grinned widely, threw the large back pack on and practically skipped to Rosalie's side. "Race you!" He beamed and then took off running.

Rosalie smiled to herself and turned to leave. Her hand brushed against the frame of the door as she caught the sight of her sombre father. She pulled herself back into the room and took a deep breath. "Carlisle..."

He smiled at his beautiful daughter.

"Tell Esme that... I'm sorry. But we'll be back soon."

He nodded understandingly.

Emmett suddenly pulled her away strongly. "We'll call you when we get there, Pops!" He called from the driveway.

"Have fun." He said, more to himself. He looked at the open French doors which his wife had exited what seemed like hours ago and wanted nothing more than to join her now.

His legs tensed to jump, but he heard the front door open once again.

"Carlisle?" Eleazer said questioningly, Carmen at his side. They both looked around their empty home. "Where is everyone?"

Carlisle laughed once to himself. "I wish I knew." He replied, leaping out of the window to be with the three members of the family he had left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters.**

The last few months had gone well. Rosalie and Emmett had an amazing time on their vacation and hadn't stopped talking about it since their return. Esme and Carlisle had been travelling back and forth, making the final touches to the house in New York which they hoped they would move into in the next few weeks. Alice and Jasper had travelled to Mississippi to research her past after James's sick insight a year ago today. She had even found her own grave, and a living blood relative. Edward had called twice more, though nothing changed. He was still away and had not returned. He was now in South America, having given up on tracking. But there was hope...

It now seemed that with every hour that passed Alice's vision of Edward and Bella together again strengthened, as though it was finally making its way towards reality. Alice knew the reason behind this. He was finally giving in! Every step he was taking was taking him back to Bella. Of course - being Edward – he was obviously still trying to fight it, but his will was wavering... As Alice always knew it would. Edward is coming home.

"It's happening." She smiled.

The rest of her family looked at her questioningly. "What is, Alice?" Jasper asked, eventually.

She turned her head to face her husband and laughed once to herself. "He's changing his mind. Edward's changing his mind."

Everyone exchanged looks.

"He's... he's coming back?" Esme said delightfully. "He's coming back to us?" She held on to Carlisle's hand tightly.

"He's still trying to fight it, but his strength is weakening by the second."

Everyone smiled.

"About time!" Rosalie rejoiced. _We can finally get back to normal. _

The happy mood was suddenly put on hold when a strong breeze brought with it the scent of a passing human. As if to confirm this they all heard the sound of Tanya's letter box open and close. The post-man was close and the throats of the Cullen's were burning. Since none of them had been to school or work recently, nobody had fed in a long while. Over two weeks now.

Carlisle laughed nervously as he looked into the charcoal eyes of the five members of his family. "Let's hunt. All of us. It can be a... family meal!" He joked.

They were all running together, in perfect unison, more like one being than six individuals. Each of them beaming from ear to ear.

"Alice!" Carlisle called, twenty yards to her left. "Any chance of something decent to eat? I feel like celebrating!"

Emmett hooted in agreement and pounced on Jasper in sheer joy and excitement. They rolled together for a few yards, knocking over a tree on their way, but seamlessly started running again, laughing all the time and causing everyone else to join them.

"I'm sure we can find something!" She giggled, closing her eyes. An image of a couple of grizzly bears came into a vision, not too far away. But suddenly it went black and a different vision presented itself, completely uninvited. Alice's eyes shot open, but she couldn't see the dense green forest anymore. Instead, all she could see was a harsh cliff edge in a grey overcast area looking over what she assumed was the Pacific Ocean... but she didn't recognise it. There was a girl standing at the top of this cliff, her long brown hair blowing in the irrational wind. The chill it brought with it giving her goose-bumps. The girl's eyes were closed in a peaceful state and she inhaled deeply. Alice's feet skidded to a hasty stop before she could even process the image in mind. Her feet slammed into the earth, bringing up the dirt with them. By the time she had come to a stop she was up to her knees in turned up soil.

It was Bella.

"Stop." Alice barely whispered.

The five heads of her family members turned to face her, thinking she was talking to them. But she wasn't. She was speaking to Bella, whose feet were edging closer to the cliff's brink.

Jasper was by her side in no time. He lifted her out from the hole she had made by the tops of her shoulders. "Alice? What's happening?" He added, dropping her next to him.

Emmett's laughter stopped abruptly when he saw the terrified look in his sister's eyes. Instinctively his hissed and prepared himself for an attack, bending his knees and tensing his arms, his eyes searching the scenery around him.

"No. Stop!" Alice continued, still wrapped up in her vision.

Jasper was becoming more and more concerned now. "Alice!" He said sternly.

But she could barely hear him. She was in a different world, a world that regrettably she knew was only a few minutes away. Bella's face was hollow, her cheek bones were protruding too much and she had big black circles under her eyes. But she wore a relaxed, warm smile, as though she was enjoying being there. The sky around her was grey and dark – a thunderstorm – but her face seemed to glow, as if she was truly happy.

Bella's right foot was outstretched over the edge, almost a hundred feet over the choppy water and the momentum she was carrying was going to send her over the edge.

"Bella." Alice whimpered, still far away from her family.

Everyone exchanged looks, shocked to hear her name. Nobody had mentioned it for the last six months. They all knew something was happening to her, something bad, nothing else would make Alice react in this way.

"Alice? Alice what's going to happen to Bella?" Carlisle asked, standing next to Jasper, looking down into Alice's distant eyes.

The wind wrapped itself around Bella's ever so small frame, almost as if it were cradling her. And then... she jumped.

Bella and Alice both screamed at the same time, though they couldn't have been more different. Bella's cry was one of joy and adrenaline. Alice's was one a sheer agony. Bella's body crashed into the rough water as it enveloped her and refused to let her up again. Then it stopped. The vision ended and Alice's eyes finally focused on the present again.

"Alice! What's happened?" Jasper asked.

She looked deep into his eyes, unable to speak.

Her emotions hit him like a tidal wave, sending him flying back a few feet. It was an unbelievable sense of grief, unlike anything he's ever felt before.

"No, no, no." Alice kept repeating, trying ever so hard to search for Bella's future, but it was always the same and more worryingly, always ended with nothing but darkness.

She tried again.

And again.

Blackness.

Just darkness.

Nothing.

"No, no, no." She said again, reaching for her cell phone. She cursed the fact that Bella did not have one. Instead she rang Bella's home, hoping to contact her there. Or maybe Charlie, maybe he could stop her. The phone rang three times before it went on to the answer-phone.

"_Hey there, this is Charlie and Bella –"_

Alice shut her phone, lost in her own despair. She didn't know what to do.

"Alice, sweetheart." Esme said softly. "What is going to happen to Bella? What have you seen?"

Alice's chest was jerking with the sobbing building up within her. She felt cold, colder than she has ever felt before.

"Bella's dead." She just about managed to say.

Esme let out the tiniest of breaths, as if she was suffocating. "Oh, God." She said, burying her face in Carlisle's chest.

Emmett took a few steps backwards. "No." He shook his head and drove a clenched fist into a nearby tree, making it crash down to earth. "No! It doesn't have to happen! It's in the future. We can stop her." He bellowed.

Alice could barely shake her head. She looked up to the sky. "Judging by the height of the sun in the vision she's doing it now." She turned back to Emmett. Everybody gasped again, finally understanding that Bella was doing this _to herself. _"There's nothing we can do."

Alice cursed Edward. If only he had let her keep in contact, Bella would have had someone to talk to. She knew that if she had been keeping tabs on Bella's future than she would have seen her suicidal state and would have been able to do something about it.

Emmett was obviously on the same line of thought, calling Edward every name under the sun.

"Emmett." Carlisle warned, holding up his hand signalling him to stop.

"But don't you think it's ridiculously ironic, Carlisle? He left, he made us all leave, to 'save' her! To give her life! To give her a chance at a normal life! Suicide at eighteen doesn't seem like a 'normal life' to me!" He scoffed to himself. "She died _because _of us!"

Esme sobbed harder.

"Emmett, this isn't our fault." Rosalie soothed, stoking his arm. "She shouldn't have even become a part of our world in the first place."

Emmett shrugged away from her touch, shook his head and started to run back to the house.

Rosalie soon took off after him.

Jasper was still frozen in the same spot, weighed down by the grief of his family.

Alice turned around slowly and started to walk back towards the house, no faster than human speed. She eventually caught the sight of the large mover's truck that still housed her belongings. Upon seeing it she growled and ran to the side, lifting up the hatch. Her hands ripped into the carefully packed boxes and threw the contents into the house. She had given up on her ridiculous protest. It was all over now!

Emmett and Rosalie watched from the house, both of them horrified by Alice's complete breakdown.

Jasper's hands were suddenly on hers, making her stop. "Alice, I'm so sorry." He said, pulling her into his chest.

"I was so sure, Jasper. So sure that it was always going to work out. What an idiot I am... an absolute fool. And for some sickening reason, it's still there! Their future – together. It's still there!" She put her hand at the side of her head. "Taunting me! Haunting me!"

Jasper shushed her and stoked her hair.

"I was wrong, Jazz. I was wrong all along."

"No, you weren't wrong... you were just hopeful."

She shook her head. "I was stupid. I was living in a world that didn't even exist. And look where that got me...I saw her _die, _Jasper. I saw her peaceful smile. I saw her jump of a flipping cliff! As if I was standing right next to her. But I couldn't do anything! I couldn't stop her. Do you have any idea how that feels?" She regretted saying it as soon as the words left her lips. Of course he knew how it felt, he had felt it too. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that."

"I know, darling. But it's over now. There's nothing we can do. Maybe we could arrange something with Carlisle, and go and pay our respects in a few weeks, or months. When Edward has had enough time to come to terms with it."

Alice's head turned up to her husband. "What do you mean in a few weeks? Months? We're going to Bella's funeral." She said matter-of-factly. She looked around to the faces of her family who had gathered around them. "We all are. Charlie needs our help. He's got no one now!"

"Alice, we promised Edward that we wouldn't go back. You swore!"

She bit her lip. "I promised him that I wouldn't go back to Bella, so that shouldn't be a problem considering she's not there anymore!" She cried, picking up a bag and throwing some clothes into that instead.

"It's none of our business Alice. Human's die every day! People cope with death every day!"

Alice looked at her husband, shocked by his words. "Bella isn't just a regular human, Jazz. She's my friend! She's family!"

"She's not anymore, Alice! She hasn't been for the last six months!" He shouted back at her.

"Are you telling me that you haven't thought about her once since we left? That you haven't wished that Edward was here, with his Bella? You haven't wished that our family was whole again? Something that only _she _could provide!"

Of course he did. He loved Bella dearly and was beyond distraught that she was gone. But what Rosalie had said was sadly right; she shouldn't have been part of their world. Either that or she should have truly _become_ part of their world. But it was too late now. She was gone. Now his Alice was making the same mistake, involving herself again. Well he would not be part of it this time.

Alice saw it then... she would be travelling alone on her way to Forks. "Are you not even going to come with me Jasper?" _I need you,_ she wanted to say.

Jasper still saw all this as his fault. He had let down his family far too much. He had let down Bella. He had let down Edward, and he couldn't betray him again.

"No, I'm not going. And neither are you!" He grabbed hold of both of her hands in just one of his, pulling her back into the house.

She dug her heels hard into the ground. It did no good against his strength, but the intention was clear. She would not give up on Bella this time. She let Edward convince her not to see Bella, because she couldn't argue that her life wouldn't be safer without vampires around her all the time. But now there was no such threat. This time she would say goodbye to Bella. It's the least she owed her.

"Jasper," She looked at him, begging with her eyes. "Don't do what Edward did to me... Let me say goodbye this time. Let me say goodbye to my best friend – to my sister."

He could feel it then -her _need_ to go. The strength and the determination he admired in her was more fuelled then ever and he knew he couldn't stop her – even if he wanted to. He would give her anything she wanted, even if he didn't think it was a good idea. But she was right, in a way. She deserved to say goodbye to Bella Swan. He dropped her hands slowly and took one step back. "Ok," he nodded, "if that's what you want."

Her breath stuttered through her lips, as though she was shivering. "Thank you." She exhaled.

Esme ran to Alice's side, placing the keys to Carlisle's Mercedes in her hands. "It's quicker than the jeep. We're going to stay here in case Edward calls. But _we'll_ join you... for B-Bella's... funeral." She hugged her daughter tightly.

Biting her lip Alice stepped backwards towards the car, not taking her eyes off of Jasper. She slid in to the driver's seat and started the engine. She knew that she needed to leave. It would take about three hours to get to Forks. If she left any later it would be night by the time she got there and didn't want to inconvenience Charlie – though she assumed he would not be sleeping tonight.

Her eyes bore into Jasper's. She hated doing that to him, making him sound like the bad guy. There was not another person on this earth who would fight for her as much as he would. Yet, here she was, leaving him against his wishes. But she needed to do this. For Bella and for Charlie... for herself.

"I love you." She said over the sound of the engine.

"I know." He replied.

With that, Alice drove away.

Silence. Once again. Things were finally looking up, getting back to normal... they were so close. But now each member of the Cullen family had plunged back into the empty void from which they had only just managed to escape.

The five of them stood outside the house following the black car with their eyes, until they couldn't see or hear it anymore.

So much had happened in the last few minutes. So much had changed. So much had been lost.

"Who's going to do it then?" Rosalie asked after a long while of silence and stillness.

"Do what Rose?" Emmett asked in an extremely monotone voice.

"Tell him." She said simply. Esme's head rose from Carlisle's chest slowly, knowing what Rosalie was going to say next, but hoping that she wouldn't. "Tell Edward." She added finally, almost in a questioning and patronising tone.

Carlisle sighed, not even wanting to imagine Edward's reaction. "It's going to be very probable that he'll hear it before we get chance to tell him."

"It's going to be very hard to keep it from him." Esme whimpered.

"Keep it from him?" Rosalie exclaimed.

"That would be near to impossible my dear." Carlisle said to Esme. "Perhaps we will be able to keep it from him until he is home, where we can _help _him."

"Wait!" Rosalie interrupted, raising her hands and shaking her head. "You have to be kidding! We have to tell him. Now! The sooner he finds out, the sooner he will come home! We can finally get back to normal. Of course Alice had to go and mess that up anyway by running off back to Forks."

Jasper hissed, but Rosalie ignored him.

"My point is that this ridiculous farce is finally over. Or at least it will be when we actually tell Edward." She added, reaching for her cell phone.

"How dare you?" Esme accused, rushing to Rosalie's side, taking her phone and throwing it into the living room. "Bella has only just died - somebody we love, someone who was part of our family. And you are using her death as a way to bring our family back together again? Our family will never be back together again! Or family will never be whole." She cried as she ran into the house, slamming the door on her way causing the glass frames to shatter.

Rosalie pressed her lips together and her jaw set tight. Of course she didn't mean it like that. But why should she have to wait? Why prolong the pain? Edward needed to be told.

"Rose." Emmett said softly and emotionlessly from behind her. "We can't." She tried to protest as she turned to face him, but Carlisle interrupted her.

"You know what he will do Rosalie," _what any of us would do_, he added internally. "If anything, the news would _stop_ him from coming home." He sighed.

Emmett continued for him, his eyes locked on the ground. "We need to let him come home, as Alice saw him do, and then we will tell him. At least then we'll be here to stop him from running off again. We could calm him down, help him to heal." _We all need to heal_, he thought.

"Emmett's right." Jasper said, speaking for the first time since Alice's departure. He was still facing the way she had left, his back to the rest of his family. "We can't tell him. Not yet."

Rosalie scoffed. "You know this won't work." She said shaking her head. "He'll hate us for not telling him." She looked towards her husband, brother and father but none of them returned her gaze. No one was on her side, and it appeared as though the decision was already made. "You're wrong!" She said turning slowly to go back inside, defeated. "You're all wrong."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: I really want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far, really means a lot as I'm sure you all know! With respect of how far this is going... well it was only supposed to be a one shot, so I never intended it to get this far, but I've really enjoyed writing it and getting into the Cullen's heads. So... I'm probably going to continue until the vote. But you never know........ **__**Thanks again for reading; I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.)**_

Two days have passed since Alice had left to go to Forks and to comfort Charlie after Bella's death. Each member had returned home straight after Alice's vision, meaning that the hunting trip was cut considerably short, and after Rosalie's determination to call Edward to tell him the horrifying news, nobody had wanted to leave again, worrying that she would take advantage of their absence and do it anyway. The thirst was continuing to grow within each of them, leading to incredibly ratty behaviour and easily generated arguments. Carlisle and Esme begged the boys to hunt, but they wouldn't leave Rosalie. _"For heaven's sake! My own family can't even trust me! Fine I'll come with you if that makes you happy!" _She had said this morning, prompting an immediate trip.

They had found a herd of deer not too far away from the house and Rosalie had helped herself to three when the others only had one each. Her thirst was quenched while the others wanted to keep on hunting. She continued with them for a while, but was soon getting agitated.

"Right, I'm bored now. Can I go home please?" She said venomously.

No body answered her; they just looked at each other questioning her motives silently. How they wished Alice and Edward were with them.

Rosalie growled in anger. "Look, I'm bored! I've got things to do for Esme at home. I'm not thirsty anymore. There's just no need for me to be here."

She looked into each of their eyes powerfully, begging them to believe her. Of course she was going to call Edward as soon as she got in; she'd been waiting for an opportunity to do it since they first found out. He would thank her for doing it, thank her for not lying to him like everyone else was. And then _everyone_ would thank her for bringing him back home. But she was worried about Jasper, she didn't want to be found out now otherwise they would _never_ let her out of their sight. She tried to stay calm, but also strong willed, hoping that he would sense the confidence in her words.

"Rosalie?" Esme said ever so softly that it could have been mistaken for a light breeze. "We can trust you, can't we?" She smiled. "You will do what is best for this family?"

There is was, the exact question with which she could get away with answering, because in her opinion she was doing what is best for the family.

She looked into Jaspers intense eyes and nodded strongly. "Yes." She said simply.

Jasper felt the truth and determination behind her words, but also the irritation which he assumed was due to her unwillingness to agree. His thirst was making his mind irrational and he was finding it difficult to concentrate.

"She's fine." He said, before taking off deeper into the forest. He was tired of watching over her all the time, fed up with the lack of trust in the family. Everybody was expecting the worst all the time and it was driving him crazy. It didn't help that he was also mourning for Bella and missing his Alice immensely. She hadn't called. _Why hasn't she called? _He screamed inside. All he had received was a text message the night that she had left.

_Jasper, I'm here. Sorry I can't call, but if I hear your voice I won't be able to stop myself from coming straight home and I need to be here. I miss you more than anything and love you more than ever. Thank you for letting me do this. Your Alice x_

Despite this he had continued to call her, over and over again for hours, wanting her to come home. But she never picked up.

Rosalie smiled to her family as she started to run in the other direction and Emmett, Carlisle and Esme joined Jasper.

They had hunted for another hour before deciding to head back to the house. Emmett was running on Jasper's right side, and Esme and Carlisle were a few metres to his left. They were eager to get home, none of them wanting to miss a possible call from Edward and have Rosalie answer it.

"Give her some credit." Emmett said, seeing how impatient they were to check on her. "You know how she hates not getting her own way. She's trying."

"We know, Emmett. But there's no need to put her in temptations way." Carlisle said calmly.

"Hmm," He sighed. "Maybe I could distract her for a few days? Tempt her in a different way." He winked at Jasper and Carlisle and Esme chuckled for the first time in two days. "Jasper knows what I mean, don't you bro!" He added, nudging him with his hand.

Jasper's stern face caved in and started laughing along with his brother. "No, only you know what you mean, Em!" He said pushing him jokingly into a large tree.

Emmett managed to correct his equilibrium as he came into contact with the tree, stopping it from collapsing. Instead it shook unsteadily as if it was one splinter away from falling.

Esme, Jasper and Carlisle stopped running to look at Emmett as he tried to steady the tree.

Out of nowhere, they heard a loud bang somewhere in the distance. It could have been anything and normally wouldn't have grabbed their attention, but this sound came from the house that was not too far away now.

"Emmett!" Rosalie's voice called, somewhere before the forest's edge. Emmett stopped laughing and his head turned towards the direction of the house, his face suddenly changing into one of concern. "Emmett, help!" She screamed.

Emmett was already running before she sounded the 'p' and the rest followed him swiftly. "Rosalie!" He cried, not his usual booming call. This was so much more vulnerable.

They met each other a few metres into the forest area. She had been running towards them.

She ran straight into his arms, but he grabbed her by her waist and lifted her over his head so she was now behind him. His knees bent into a crouch and he snarled viciously in the direction that she ran from. The only thing stopping him from running towards the unknown attacker and destroying it was the fact that Rosalie was tapping at his back and trying to pull him towards her.

"No, no! Stop it. No one's attacking us." She eventually managed to turn him around. "Emmett! Something awful has happened!" She held on to his hands and removed them from her body and took three steps back.

"Rosalie?" Carlisle asked, uneasily. "What's happened?" He hated to admit it – even if it was only to himself – but he instantly thought about Edward. Had she told him?

She had no idea what to say or how to say it. They would hate her! They would kill her! She even doubted if Emmett would defend her or if he would join in the shredding. She was so convinced that she was right, but she was completely wrong. _"If anything, the news would stop him from coming home." _Carlisle had told her. _Why didn't I listen to him?_ She shouted towards herself. She was blinded by her desire to bring her family back together... to get back to normal. But more than anything, she was in a rush to forget about Forks and Bella. Now she realised that would never happen, because every time they would think of Edward, they would think of Bella. And if he... died... then there wouldn't be a second of any day that he wouldn't be in their thoughts.

"I'm so, _so _sorry." She said, though they could hardly hear her over the sobs emanating from her chest.

It didn't take long for their logical minds to work out why she was feeling so guilty.

"Rosalie." Esme pleaded, despairingly. "Please tell me that you didn't do what I think you did."

Rosalie's feet were instinctively stepping backwards in the face of four angry vampires staring at her. "I'm so sorry."

But there was more to this, and they all knew it. She should have been happy if things had gone the way she wanted – something had gone wrong, something that she uncharacteristically felt ashamed, guilty and incredible worried for.

She turned to Carlisle. "You need to call Alice, now."

Jaspers head shot up and he rushed to get to Rosalie. Emmett saw his outstretched arms and pulled him out of the way before he could get to her.

"What's happened to Alice? What did you do?" He screamed.

Rosalie's lips quivered. "Nothing, she's fine. She called... while you were away... she said..." She took in a stuttered breath, "She said that Edward's... she's seen him... he's going to... Oh, it's all my fault." She said, hiding her face in one her hands and clutching at her stomach with the other.

They all understood of course. This outcome had been the first thing the four of them had assumed he would do when they heard that Bella had killed herself.

Esme's face went a paler shade of white, she felt sick to her stomach. "No!" she bellowed. "What did you _do,_ Rosalie?" Her anger got the better of her and took control of her animalistic instincts. Carlisle pulled her back to him before she could get to Rosalie. She stopped immediately and felt ever so ashamed of herself for wanting to hurt her daughter. "Carlisle!" She cried into his chest. "He can't! I will not lose another son! You've got to stop him!"

Carlisle tried to gain control of his own incoherent thoughts, evaluating what needed to be done and in what order. He moved carefully beside Jasper – who was still being held by Emmett - avoiding his teeth. "Jasper, son, you need to calm yourself down. Then we can go and get hold of Alice and sort this out. Because I'm not leaving when you're like this. And I can't imagine that you'd want to keep Alice waiting."

Jasper closed his eyes and his body stopped shaking. "You can let go now, Emmett."

Carlisle nodded at Emmett for confirmation and then headed to the house with Esme in tow.

"You're not going to hurt her, bro?" Emmett asked.

Jasper shook his head. "Let me speak to Alice." He replied and Emmett let him go.

Jasper left immediately leaving Rosalie and Emmett standing on the edge of the forest and the green in front of Tanya's house.

Rosalie walked to Emmett slowly, reaching out her hands. "Emmett – I'm... I'm..."

He held out the palm of his hand, signalling her to stop. "You lied to me, Rose." He said, not being able to even look her in the eyes. "Not just that. You've practically sentenced Edward to death." He laughed ironically.

"I don't know what to say... because no matter how much I say sorry it will never be enough." She whimpered.

He rolled his eyes sadly. "Rosalie..." he grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him, "didn't you think? Didn't you even consider this like the rest of us did? Why do you think we wanted him to come home _before_ we told him? So we could stop this!"

She stood in the arms of the man she loved more than everything else in this world and looked up to his eternally youthful and forgiving eyes and regretted everything. "I just wanted our family to be together again. I'm so sorry."

"I know you are, Rose. But it's not me that you need to convince."

_"Save your remorse for someone who believes it." _Alice had spat at her before hanging up and Emmett had just reaffirmed it. She had a lot of apologising to do, not just here, but to Alice and Bella... and she hoped more than anything that she would have the chance to apologise to Edward. "What do you think he's going to do?" Her wavering voice breathed.

Emmett's eyes were far away. "All I know is what I would do, if I had lost you. Maybe Alice will know..." He said, starting to walk back to the house.

Rosalie suddenly realised... she had been so worried about Edward that it had escaped her mind. But Emmett's words had brought it back "..._what I would do, if I lost you."_ But Edward hadn't lost Bella, he just _thought _he had.

"Emmett!" She called. "She's not dead though! Bella's not dead! Alice was wrong."

He stopped in his tracks. "What? Bella's... alive?" He smiled to himself briefly. He found it too bitter-sweet to cope with. Edward was going to kill himself over nothing! "That means he's got something to live for then Rose. He doesn't need to do this." He held on to the top of her arms, excitedly. "We can stop him! Me and you! We'll tell him that she's alive and he'll come home!" He let go of her and sprinted towards the house.

Upon arrival he saw an erratic Jasper struggling in Carlisle and Esme's hands. To their right was Tanya's house phone that had been smashed so much that it could have been mistaken for a pile of dust.

Emmett made his way to the struggling unit of immortals. He pulled Esme away and replaced her position swiftly.

"Jasper, man! What's wrong now?" He asked.

"She won't pick up!" Esme said, just as worried as Jasper was. "Alice isn't answering her phone!"

Emmett growled. _Not helping Alice! _He called internally.

Esme was panicking, which wasn't helping Jasper calm down. "Oh god something's wrong! We shouldn't have let her go alone! What's happening to us?"

Emmett turned his head towards her, his mouth and eyes wide open - perplexed. _Unbelievable! What is wrong with the women around here?_ "Jasper, you know she's ok! You know what she's like... probably trying to keep track of the future and present at the same time, worrying over Bella, making sure she's not stressing out too!"

The three of them stopped suddenly and Jasper's head turned calmly to his brother.

"Emmett? What do you mean?" Carlisle asked.

Emmett half smiled. "Bella's alive. Alice told Rosalie. Her vision must have been... wrong or something. But it's good news! All we have to do it tell Edward! Then he can come home! This can all be over so quickly."

Esme's face lit up, but Carlisle's fell further and he shook his head. "It's not that simple. Don't get me wrong, it's _brilliant_ that Bella's alive... but it doesn't change anything."

Rosalie's heart fell at the words. She had relied on the news of Bella being alive to save her brother. "Why?" She called from the doorway, still not confident enough to get close to her family.

Carlisle sighed, "Even if she were dead, we would have used that to stop him. We would have told him that she's alive and rightfully, he wouldn't have believed us, which is ironic now, considering she is."

"What do we do now then?" Emmett asked.

"We can't do anything until we speak to Alice. Hopefully she'll be able to tell us what he plans to do." Carlisle cringed at his words as soon as he said it. He had just hoped that his daughter would have seen her own brother die! He repressed the thought. "And then we can work from there."

"Why didn't she tell us?" Jasper said out of nowhere. "She would have known two days ago now. Why didn't she tell us that Bella was alive?" He knew the answer though. The text message that Alice had sent him earlier repeated through his mind.

_...Sorry I can't call, but if I hear your voice I won't be able to stop myself from coming straight home and I need to be here..._

He now saw a different meaning behind her words as he considered how the phone call between them would have sounded. She would have told him that Bella was alive, and he would have ordered her to come home, for there was no need to be there anymore. And she knew that. She needed to stay with Bella.

As Jasper spoke the words, Rosalie was forgiven by them all; because in their eyes they had all been at fault, in some way. They each felt responsible on some level.

Carlisle wished he had spoken to Edward properly about the consequences of leaving Bella, given him more support and advice instead of just letting his eldest son have his way.

Esme regretted never telling Edward of Bella's possible point of view for she understood better than anyone, especially Edward. He had never been in love before, and never understood Bella's love for him. The so-called love he felt from other human teenagers was made only from lust, nothing more than hormones. But she knew Bella was different, he just couldn't see it... but she could have told him.

Emmett wished he would have explained to Rosalie about what he had always assumed Edward would do. If he had than maybe she would have understood and wouldn't have called him.

Jasper, the saddest of all, had wished that he had the strength to abstain from human blood as much as his family. Because, at the end of the day, he still felt responsible for their leaving. He was the catalyst. He had almost killed his wife's best friend and his brother's love... his own sister.

If Alice had called them to tell them that Bella was alive, then Rosalie would have had no need to call Edward, and he would have come home... eventually... as Alice had seen.

_And Edward_... they all thought..._Well, Edward should never have left._

They were all brought out of their deep thoughts when the sound of Carlisle's phone rang. The shrill noise ran through each of them.

He answered it quickly but he didn't even have time to say hello before Alice spoke unbearably quickly.

_"Just listen I haven't got long at all. I see Edward going to Italy, Carlisle! To Volterra!" _She cried loudly, _"If they refuse him we'll get to him in time. I've just phoned the airlines and booked tickets for me and Bella. I'll call properly as soon as I get on the plane. I'm sorry. I love you all." _And the phone went dead. The phone call had lasted less than ten seconds, leaving the family dumbstruck.

Carlisle looked at Jasper, expecting him to break out once again. But instead Jasper's body collapsed to the floor and he cried out for Alice. Edward was not only risking his own life, but now he was unknowingly risking Bella's... and Alice's. His fingernails dug into the marble hard skin of his face, leaving a row of ten deep scratches down his cheeks.

"Jasper! Stop!" Esme called, rushing to his side and pulling his hands away from his face.

"She's gone Esme! She's going to die! They all are!" He said pessimistically, having given up all hope. He knew better than all of them – possibly even Carlisle – what the Volturi were capable of. He had seen it first-hand, their merciless nature. They would not forgive Edward for breaking the rules, they would not let Bella – a human that knows far too much about their existence – out alive, and they would see Alice as his accomplice and she would die too. There was no hope anymore, there never was without Alice.

He wrapped his arms around Esme and cried loudly into her shoulder.

Carlisle and Emmett both reached forward to get him off in case he hurt her, but she put up her hands to stop them and then cradled her newest son in her arms and shared his emotions.

The sight disturbed each of them. None of them had ever seen Jasper act in this way. He looked so breakable, so susceptible... so human. An indescribable emotion hit all of them strongly. Carlisle's hand reached out to the workbench to steady himself, Emmett's body shook as though he was shivering from the cold and Rosalie fell backwards into the wall, sliding her back down it as she sunk to the ground.

They were all helpless. They couldn't do anything until Alice called again... her final call before she, Bella and Edward would surely breathe their last. They stayed in this exact position for hours, though it felt like days.

And then... the phone rang again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters **

_**(A/N: Part of this chapter contains dialogue from page 375 of New Moon. This chapter was the hardest to write because for the first time I had to connect it very closely with the book... but I really enjoyed writing it, and hope you enjoy reading it. I've always wanted to know what Jasper said on the plane... Hope I did it justice. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed x)**_

The phone had only rang for a split second before Jasper had snapped it open, not far away from breaking it in his anticipation. The caller ID was unknown, but they all knew it was Alice.

"Alice! Tell me where you are right now?" He said, already pacing up and down the living room.

_"Jasper."_ She breathed, sounding a mixture between relief and apprehension.

Jasper moaned loudly, trying so hard not to crush the walls that surrounded him. "Alice! Where are you?"

She spoke softly and quietly._ "Just took off from Seattle, we've got a connection in New York in five hours. Than a flight straight to Florence due to get in at half past eleven and then we're heading straight to Volt-"_

"No!" He screamed. "No. No you're not!"

"The hell she is!" Emmett said in a low deep voice. "Not by herself anyway." It would take them an hour to get to Anchorage Airport – the most likely place to get a direct flight to Italy. He calculated that Alice would only be an hour in front of them. That would be enough time to help out. In perfect synchronicity he nodded to Rosalie, picked up some keys and threw them to her as they ran to the garage. They both got in Rosalie's BMW and were out of the drive before Carlisle could even register their movements.

Esme's body was stuck in its place. She couldn't move. She could do nothing but see two of her children leave to join her other three to die while her final heartbroken child stood listening to his wife's death wish.

_"Jasper... we need to do this." _She begged, unaware of the new development.

"No you don't! The only thing you need to do is come home to me!"

"_... It's the only way to save him." _She continued, ignoring his pleads.

"It's the only way to get yourself killed!" He argued back.

_"That doesn't change anything, Jazz."_

He laughed ironically. "And Bella? You brought her with you to die as well? Considering how devastated you were when you thought she was dead, you seem pretty easy going about escorting her to the executioners." He said, hoping to hit a nerve.

_"I asked her about that..." _She said trying not to sound guilty – but failing. _"I tried to persuade her not to come... but she insisted." _Her voice turned more powerful, but somehow even quieter. _"You haven't seen her Jazz... she looks terrible. She fainted when I mentioned his name!" _She scoffed. _"Not being with him... it's made her ill. I've never seen anyone look more like death..."_

Esme whimpered.

_"... this whole farce has been nothing but a bad idea! It's almost killed her..."_

"And now you're finishing off the job..." Jasper interrupted. He regretted it straight away and almost expected a hiss to shudder from the phone.

But there was no sound. There was no sound for many seconds, until she exhaled deeply. It was a sound that he had heard hundreds of times – Alice always made this sound as her visions ended.

"What have you seen, Alice?" He said in a much more caring tone, and hoping that she hadn't heard his last comment.

_"He's going to ask them to kill him... soon."_

Esme cried and fell to her knees. Carlisle dropped to her side, rubbing her back gently. It was the first time that his actions had been confirmed, though sadly they knew it all along.

Jasper sighed heavily. "Can you see what they will tell him?"

_"No._" She replied sadly. _"Not yet... I assume it's because they've never had to deal with such a request. A decision has never been made. But..." _She hesitated.

"But what?" Jasper pressed.

_"If they say no... we may be able to catch up with him."_

Carlisle sighed relived and Esme's head stretched up – her mind full of questions. _But if they say yes, then they won't, _they all thought.

_"That'd be our only chance." _Alice added, confirming their thoughts. _"But even then... it's not certain that we can save him."_

"What do you mean?"

Alice sighed once again, _"He's going to give them a reason. He's not taking no as an answer."_

"No!" Esme almost screamed. "No Edward! Stop!" She cried into Carlisle's arms.

"What is he going to do, Alice?" Jasper asked, the hope disappearing once again.

_"I can't be sure, I keep seeing him do different things, he keeps changing his mind... A killing spree through the city, attacking the guard, lifting a car over his head in the main square... mostly things that would expose them – he knows it's the fastest way to force a reaction." _She stuttered.

The words caused Jasper's body to shake with rage. They would not tolerate that, no matter how greater ability Edward has. They would kill him on the spot – no questions asked... and then they would kill Alice for fighting for him. Jasper wanted nothing more than to be with Alice now, to pick up her screaming and kicking body, throw her over his shoulder, and take her home. He knew shouting wouldn't help anymore... he tried a different approach."I'll tell you what, Alice... When you land in New York, you just stay there until I get there... We'll go together..." He tried to bargain.

_"No! You can't!" _She whispered, though the tone of her voice was screaming.

"Why not, Alice?" He said, trying not to shout. "Emmett's planning just the same. He wants to help too –"

_"Tell Emmett no!" _She interrupted.

"But he's already gone, Alice. He and Rosalie left just as you called. Didn't you see?" He asked. _Of course not... I doubt if she's seen anything other than Edward killing himself over and over again, _he thought.

_"Well go after Emmett and Rosalie and bring them back."_

"Why?" He pushed even more. "You'll need all the help you can get! Once Emmett get's his hands around him, he won't be able to do anything. We'll take him to Bella who will be far, _far_ away and then everything will be -"

_"Think about it, Jasper. If he sees any of us what do you think he will do?"_ She cut in.

He knew the answer of course. They all did.

Hearing the conversation, Carlisle ran to the garage and started up Edward's Aston Martin. He picked up a spare cell phone and rang Rosalie's. _You're not going to die too, _he thought repeatedly until she picked up.

"He would rush into it... make it worse for _all_ of us." Jasper admitted.

_"Exactly." _She sighed.

"But how do _you_ intend to do anything then? It won't be any different when he sees you... or hears you?" But as soon as he said the words he finally realised why Bella's being there was so important... why Alice had sounded guilty when talking about bringing her along and why she hadn't reacted to Jasper's harsh words. Because Alice knew the danger she was putting her best friend in... But it was the only way... the only way to save Edward. "...Bella." He sighed.

"_I think Bella is the only chance – if there is a chance." _She agreed with him, knowing he had worked it out.

"And what are _you_ going to do, Alice?" He had given up now. He was not going to be able to talk her out of it.

_"I'll do anything that can be done, but prepare Carlisle; the odds aren't good._

Her words scared him more than anything ever has before... _anything that can be done... _That was too much, too much for him to bear! As much as he tried to deny it, as much as he tried to cling on to the tiniest amount of hope that Alice had somehow managed to inject into him, he couldn't escape the thought that she would die today... that he would never see her again. If only there was a way... any way that she would survive... A thought entered his head – something that he had witnessed in a previous life. Lives had been saved – lives had been changed. Ones that had been convicted had been spared because of their abilities... "Alice! You're ability! If Aro knows about it... he would save you..." but then his heart sank deeper into his chest and he feared it would never surface again. "He would... _keep_... you." His wish for her life to be saved would mean sentencing her to a life of servitude, where she would probably have to give up everything that this family stood for in order to survive. Could he let that happen?

_She laughed nerveously, "I've thought of that..." _

But it didn't matter what he thought... he knew too well what she would want... "And you'd rather die, wouldn't you?" He replied honestly, knowing her far too well. She didn't reply which only confirmed his words. "Well... then you must get out of their Alice. Do anything you can to get out... Even if it means leaving Edward... or even Bella! Promise me Alice... as my wife, promise me that you will not die! Promise me that you will get out of there! That you will come home to me!"

"_Yes, I promise." _She lied – it was far too obvious.

"God damn it, Alice! I will run there myself and drag you home –"

"_Don't follow me." _She broke him off once again. She took in a deep breath and steadied her voice. _"I promise, Jasper. One way or another I'll get out."_

He sighed in reply, absolutely stunned that tears had not managed to find a way out of his body. He had nothing left in him now. He was running on empty. It was over... there was no stopping her.

As if the universe was against him, a mechanical voice sounded on the phone that did not belong to either of them. _Call time over. Call time over._

Jaspers body swayed uncontrollably when he realised that these may be his final words that he'll ever say to his wife. His back fell against the nearest wall. "I love you... my saviour, my everything, my Alice."

"_And I love you." _She said, beautifully.

A click vibrated through Jasper's hand and signified the end of the call.

He looked at the cell phone in his hands and for the first time in his life he prayed. He prayed that it would ring again, that Alice would tell him that it all worked out... that they were all safe... that she was safe.

Esme's sobs were ricocheting around the entire house. The harder she tried to keep them in, the harder they came. All she wanted was to have her children in her arms, her Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice... and her Bella. She closed her eyes and tried to remember their faces, the days when they were all together, the days when they were happy... _It's been six months since we've been happy, _she thought.

Her thoughts however betrayed her, unable to think of anything other than worry and distress. How she wished for something physical... something to hold. She wished she had taken pictures, though it always seemed unnecessary. Why would a being that was unable to forget anything, that could easily remember the finest detail on any subject, need photographs? But she wished she did, for it would have been the closest she was – and will ever be – to her three children that were surely going to die this day.

But then, some area of her vast mind remembered that she _did _have some. Photographs that were taken on the very last day that they were all happy! As her feet ran to the removal van her conscious mind began to catch up. Edward had arrived home a few minutes before he went to say goodbye to Bella, in a rush, with a white envelope in his hand.

"_What have you got there, Edward?" Esme asked, being able to read the Phoenix address written on it in Bella's handwriting. "Photographs that Bella has taken over the past couple of days..." He sighed. "She was going to send them to her mother, but there are pictures of us in there. A clean break, Esme. That's all I can offer her... so no photographs!" He placed them inside a tin box that she had never seen before and placed it in one of his many boxes filled with C.D's and books before he took off once again. _

Esme found the large cardboard box marked 'Edward' towards the back of the van and ran with it to hers and Carlisle's temporary bedroom. She dug passed Edward's journals - that she never had any intention of ever reading – and found the small metal tin.

Her breath stuttered when she saw what was on the lid... one perfectly carved freesia, missing no detail what-so-ever and underneath it, three simply yet unbelievably heart wrenching words. _Live, my love. _This was Bella's box. "He knew he'd never be able let her go." She said to no one but herself.

She opened the lid carefully, now feeling as though she was trespassing on Edward's most prized property.

Her eyes quickly scanned the contents. A small note with the words '_Be safe' _written in Edward's handwriting. A receipt from a restaurant 'La Bella Italia', the restaurant in Port Angeles where Edward had taken Bella. A small blue bottle cap, the symbol of Edward's first proper conversation with Bella. Two hospital wristbands with Bella's name on, something to symbolise not just how breakable she is, but more importantly, the two times Edward had _saved _her life. A small blue/black felt box that looked as though it would hold some ear-rings or... a ring. And finally, the envelope that Esme was looking for.

She pulled it out and flicked through the pictures. Some of Bella's friends who Esme assumed were from school, a picture of Bella and Charlie... and then, one that nearly made Esme laugh... one of Edward and Charlie watching some form of sports on the television –_ very out of character, _she thought.

Her breath stuttered through her full, but delicate lips when she saw the next photo... A picture of all of them, at their home in Forks... on Bella's birthday. No one was looking at the camera, but they all looked so happy. Bella was looking embarrassed, a faint pink blushing her cheeks. Emmett, Alice, Edward, Carlisle and Esme all smiling widely. Jasper looking on from a distance, but he was leaning in, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere. And Rosalie, looking extremely beautiful – as always – standing beside Emmett, looking around the room and embracing the fact that her family was complete, together and joyful. Alice had obviously set the timer on the camera and put it in a space that would capture each of them at their best.

Esme stayed there, holding her gaze, just as Jasper was in the room directly below hers. She had no idea how long she had been looking at the picture and Jasper had no idea how long he had been staring at the phone. It could have been hours or seconds or days, time meant nothing to them anymore. In some area of their vast mind they were both aware of the sun setting and the deep darkness embedding the remote house.

"Esme?" The beautiful voice of her husband called.

_They're back. _"I'm upstairs." She said softly. She registered each of their scents; Carlisle had brought Emmett and Rosalie back with him. _Thank God._ She heard gentle steps ascending the staircase, with the unmistakable sound of high-heeled shoes accompanying it. She swiftly placed the photograph in a nearby book just as Rosalie appeared at the doorway.

She held her hands together, fumbling with her fingers and her eyes floated around the room, feeling embarrassed and guilty. "Esme... Mom, I'm so sorry."

Esme smiled and tapped the bed beside her, signalling Rosalie to join her, which she did. Esme held onto her hand with one of hers and placed the other at her side of her face, stroking a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "Rosalie," she smiled, "I'm so glad your back..." She added, and then realised that these were the first words she had spoken to her daughter since she had screamed at her in the forest. "...and I'm so sorry, for before..." She truly was distraught with herself for even wanting to attack her first daughter.

Rosalie laughed ironically. "Esme, believe me... that was the least I deserved."

"It still doesn't excuse my actions. We're all at fault Rosalie... in one way or another. I just hope that Alice finds a way to fix this."

And they both did, though neither of them could escape the idea that she would not. Though Esme's words stung Rosalie slightly as _she _wanted to be the one to fix this. She would have found a way to get rid of Emmett on the way, come up with some false plan which would mean that he would have – unknowingly – been out of harm's way and his life would have been saved. Because she would have fought for Edward if it was needed... and she would have died for him. _But at least now Esme wouldn't lose all of her children, _she thought sourly, but then something distracted her pessimistic thoughts.

"Esme? What is one of Edward's boxes doing in here?" She smiled, bending down to kneel on the ground beside it. She looked through his collection of CD's, missing her brother immensely.

Esme smiled embarrassedly and reached for the book to show Rosalie the picture she had found. "I was looking for this."

Rosalie examined the photograph carefully and came to the same conclusion as Esme had. "Alice." She laughed. "It's a lovely photograph, Esme." She handed it back. "I'll be back in a bit." She said, heading for the stairs, leaving a confused Esme in her wake.

She descended the coiled stairs gracefully and smiled at Emmett without saying anything. In her peripheral vision she saw Jasper, sitting staring at his cell phone looking as if he was set in stone. She looked for Carlisle, wondering where he was but as she left the house she saw him in Tanya's garage. She knew what he was doing and didn't want to disturb him. _Damn it, I'll have to run. _She thought, knowing that without a car it would take longer than planned to fulfil her task.

Carlisle had returned home with Emmett and Rosalie after finally tracking them down. Neither of them had a cell phone so he had called the airport who helpfully said they would pass on his urgent message when someone by their names checked in. They called an hour later, but refused to come home. He managed to get to them before they boarded a flight to Paris and convinced them to come home. It had taken a long time and they talked for many hours. _"It's too late now..." _He had said to them._ "They will be in Italy in five hours. We're too far behind. There's nothing we can do now." _He followed them home, as if he was escorting a presidential car.

On his return he called for his wife. He was about to see if she was alright when Rosalie touched him gently on his upper arm – signalling him to stop. _"I need to apologise."_ She had said. His mind was all over the place. He wanted nothing more than to be in his wife's arms but he couldn't deny his daughter her chance to say sorry. Not wanting to break down in front of his sons he went to the garage to get out the large wooden cross that his father had made all those hundreds of years ago. Despite this he swore that he could still smell his scent on it, something he put down to the fact that his father's blood and sweat was imbedded in the core of the cross and would never leave... either that, or it was completely psychological.

He bent his knees and fell to the ground and prayed for Edward, Alice and Bella. He also prayed to Aro, his former friend, and hoped that he would find it in his civilised mind to save his son.

He was distracted by the sound of Rosalie leaving again. He looked out of the garage to see her running easterly. _She's not going again is she?_

He ran back into the house where Jasper still stood – as he had been when they returned – with Emmett now by his side.

Emmett's head was bowed down towards his brother and his eyes stared intently into his. _Are you ok, bro? Are you even alive in there? Jaaaaaasper? Well I'm ready in case he finally flips._

"Emmett," Carlisle called. "Where is Rosalie going?"

"I don't know, Pa..." He replied, not taking his eyes away from Jasper. "She was talking to Esme and then said she'll be right back. Maybe she's getting something for Esme... you know, to say sorry or something."

Carlisle relaxed slightly and then turned to Jasper. "Jasper, son, what happened after I left? What did Alice say?"

For the first time in twelve hours Jasper's lips moved, but no sound came out.

Esme appeared at the top of the stairs. "Not much my dear." She joined her husband's side finally. "All we know is that Bella's the only one that can stop him. She's risking her life for the one she loves... just as any of us would do." She added, believing that Bella was now just as big a part of the family as the rest of them.

More hours had passed when Rosalie finally returned. She walked into the house holding a small, thin box in her hands which she handed to Esme. "I had no idea where to get one, so I ran all the way into Cantwell. I got to the right shop just before closing." She smiled proudly.

Esme looked at her daughter lovingly and opened the unidentified package. A silver reflection stared back at her, with beautiful wire flowers embedded up the sides. It was a beautiful photo frame, possibly one of the few items that the Cullen's had never purchased.

"Like I said, it's a lovely picture." Rosalie smiled sympathetically.

Esme smiled and removed the photograph from her pocket and within the second had placed it in the frame. "Thank you, Rosalie." She replied.

"Wait, wait, wait..." Emmett exclaimed, looking at this bizarre interaction. "... You're all acting as though they're already dead!" His eyebrows furrowed deep into his forehead. "Alice and Bella will get to him in a few _minutes... _seriously! We'll be getting a call before you know it!"

Carlisle smiled at his optimistic son. "Emmett's right. I can feel it." He lied, wishing he could. He looked at the large clock placed on the wall. It would be noon in Italy..._ when the sun is at its highest... oh Edward... _He thought, knowing what his son was most likely planning_... please wait for them... wait for them to save you. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: I am SO sorry that it's taken so long to update this! I had written over half of this chapter when my laptop was STOLEN! Someone came into my house **__**when I was inside **__**and stole it – along with a few other things! Was not a good day haha. So I've had to wait to get a new laptop before I could start again – serves me right for not backing anything up! Consider the lesson learned! Aaaaaanyway, on a lighter note... hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it – twice! I know it said in New Moon that Alice called Jasper on the plane back to America, but I found it hard to believe that she would leave it that late to tell them that they were safe... so I snuck a little conversation in this chapter which Bella would never have known happened, so it's still canon! Haha. Thanks again to everyone who is reading this whether this is your first time or if you've read it before ;-) Thanks again xxxxx)**_

Carlisle's eyes scanned the night's sky. A new moon, _the darkest night of the lunar cycle, _he thought, believing that it was also the darkest night of his long existence. His hand still rested on top of Emmett's shoulder and his other wrapped around Esme's waist. She wore a gentle smile on her perfectly rounded face, though she had to force it there. Her hand stretched towards Rosalie who accepted it and held it in hers – a rare illustration of affection from the beautiful immortal. Emmett stayed positive at first, standing tall and crossing his arms strongly just waiting to prove his pessimistic family wrong. Nobody was blinking – not that they needed to.

Together they formed some what of a circle around Jasper who had stood in the middle of the tightly packed group – not his normal position, he much preferred being on the outside, in a position which enabled him to analyse everything and everyone, to _see everything_. But he could not see anything now – nor did he want to, nor did he care. He was aware that the phone was still in his hand. The whole of his being was waiting for it to ring. Every muscle, every tendon, every area of his vast mind was ready to answer the call from Alice that he knew would never come.

Those few minutes had passed far too quickly and the phone did not ring. The minutes turned to hours and gradually the dynamics of the room changed in accordance with the darkness that swamped them all, more now than ever before, because everything was happening now. The last six months of torture and turmoil and built up to an even worse climax which was only deepened by the fact that happiness was so close only two days ago.

Rosalie was the first to cave, just after two hours had passed. She dropped her hand from Esme's and instead wrapped it around her body and placed her other at her mouth. She bit down on her marble finger in an attempt to stop her sobs from escaping. The gesture was not a big one, but nobody missed it. She had given up. In her mind they were dead – all of them. Gone. And it was her fault.

She didn't want to be there anymore – didn't want to wait there until the rest of them had realised what she had. She wanted nothing more than to run... Run to Italy and avenge her brother and sister's deaths. But she couldn't. Not because she was scared or frightened of dying – because she would die, if she went. She couldn't leave because of the four people around her – her husband, parents and brother – the people that she loved. The people that would need her, and the people that she would need from now on. She wondered if her wish would be inevitable anyway, if even the compassionate Carlisle would be able to ignore the murder of his son and daughters. _Maybe we'll all go together, _she joked darkly to herself.

Sensing her determination, stubbornness and resilience, Jasper turned his eyes to meet hers. Though his expression did not change, she knew that look. His eyes were almost screaming the words... _I'm in._

Hours later, Esme's body started shaking in Carlisle's arms. She removed his arm from her waist and held on to his hand tightly in an attempt to keep her body still. She looked longingly into Carlisle's eyes, searching for some sign that everything was alright – but she could see none. His golden eyes could not meet hers, though he tried.

"Carlisle." She breathed so softly that he could only just hear her. "They're... they're..." She stuttered.

"We don't know that. We don't know anything yet." He interrupted her and pulled her to his chest where she sobbed endlessly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Carlisle." Rosalie said sternly. She did not mean to sound so harsh, she did not want to attack him. Her anger at herself – at the whole situation – was boiling on the end of her tongue, poisoning her words. She shook her head and bit her lip. "They're gone."

Emmett growled viciously. "No!" He ripped the phone from Jasper's hands. "Give it to me!" He had to pause to calm himself down before he keyed in Alice's number as he knew he would break the fragile phone in his current state.

Rosalie shook her head, believing that he would not get through to any member of their family. Esme hid her head in Carlisle's chest, neither of them could look at their unyielding son. Jasper's body did not change, he did not move, he hadn't moved in so long.

_Too long. It's been too long. Too long. Too long. _The words resounded in Jasper's mind and had for the last five hours. _"A few minutes!" _Emmett had said and they all wished that would be the case – that one ounce of luck would strike this family.

_Come on Alice, _Emmett thought repeatedly. _Why haven't you called us yet? I know there are some decent shops in Italy, but there are more important things to do first! _He thought light-heartedly. He pressed the phone to his ear, but he could hear no dial tone. Instead a generic, mechanical, female Italian voice spoke back to him.

Emmett's eyes burrowed deeper into his forehead. "Carlisle, what is she saying? I don't know." He said, frustrated, holding up the phone so everyone could hear the repeating message.

"It's... It's saying 'The person you are calling is not available.'" Carlisle swallowed the lump that was building in his throat.

Rosalie nodded her head, knowing what that probably meant.

Emmett looked confused at their reactions. "So, what? The phone doesn't have signal?"

Esme looked up at no-one in particular. Her usually warm eyes were burning and vicious. "Or it's been destroyed." She said simply.

It took a while for her words to sink in, but when they did – everything changed. If her phone was destroyed, was Alice as well? Did her phone burn with her? The stillness of the last few days was forgotten. Everything now happened so quickly.

As the cell phone dropped from Emmett's slacked hand, Jasper's anger hit everyone instantaneously and powerfully, almost as if a silent bomb had gone off. Roars ripped from the two boys and Rosalie, and Jasper sprinted for the door. Rosalie followed next, with Emmett close on her heals.

"No!" Carlisle cried after them. "Stop!" He called, chasing them east, into the dense Denali forest. He could see Jasper out in front and Emmett a few steps behind him after overtaking Rosalie. They were not chasing after him as Carlisle and Esme were... they were joining him. The rest of their adoptive children were running into battle... to their deaths.

But suddenly Carlisle's eyes drifted a few hundred yards in front of Jasper. Slightly to the right. Four figures watching the race, perplexed. Carlisle knew who they were instantly, he knew them all well.

"Eleazar!" He called.

Eleazar's head snapped towards Carlisle, away from the three snarling vampires running directly east, about to pass them shortly.

"Stop them!"

Confused, but willingly, Eleazar ran towards Jasper's path, expecting the experienced fighter to attempt to out manoeuvre him, but instead their bodies collided. Eleazar pushed Jasper to the ground and held his arms behind him, shocked and baffled by his mental absentness.

Jasper was not thinking about anything but Alice. Some area of his subconscious mind was aware of Carlisle shouting and Eleazar running towards him, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get to Alice. _Alice. Alice. Alice._

Kate headed into Emmett's path, knowing that neither Tanya nor Carmen would be able to stop him. She had no idea what was going on, but after seeing Carlisle's terrified face and feeling the heat of Jasper's emotions for herself she knew it couldn't be good. She had seen in her peripheral vision Eleazar's easy battle with Jasper only two seconds before she reached Emmett and hoped that hers would be just as simple.

She stretched out her arms which she aimed at his torso, knowing that - despite the extreme difference in their sizes – would force him to collapse. But Emmett leapt up high, over his trapped brother, avoiding Kate's electric grip and carried on running. The fast momentum Kate was carrying forced her into the nearest tree instead of her bulky cousin. She buried her feet in its large trunk and changed her trajectory following Emmett from the dense tree-tops above. She leapt from bough to bough, building up enough speed to catch up with him. She timed it perfectly, pouncing from the last branch and falling towards him.

Emmett lifted his own hands above and behind his head and grabbed both of Kate's wrists and pulled her to the ground, but the little contact was enough. Kate turned her mental dial on to full power and they both fell to the dirt ground, Emmett writhing in pain.

"I'm sorry, Em... I'm sorry!" She whispered softly. "But you've got to stop!"

"I can't!" He cried. "I can't."

But Kate could feel his body relax in her hands. He was done.

No more than fifty yards behind them, Rosalie had been tackled to the ground by Carmen and Tanya, unable to fight off both of them.

"Carlisle..." Tanya asked, with a struggling Rosalie in her arms. "... what's happening?"

Carlisle attempted to answer, but he was unable to think of the words.

"They're dead!" Jasper screamed, causing a flock of birds to fly away a few hundred yards to their left.

"What?" Tanya gasped. "Who? Carlisle, what has happened?" She asked confused. When they had left for their hunting trip three days ago the house had been quiet and still as it had been since their extended family's arrival. Nothing was happening, no one was happy – except Alice... she was skipping and humming and acting as Alice always had. _Alice. Alice. Alice. _Tanya thought. "Where's Alice?"

There was no answer from anyone.

"Carlisle?" Tanya asked again, this time angrier.

He didn't know where to start. He didn't even want to. He didn't know what to do. Everything had been lost. "Alice had a vision, the day after you left. She saw Bella jump off a cliff, and believed she died." He didn't stop for any of them to ask questions. "Edward... found out... and he went to... to..." He looked into Eleazar's questioning eyes. "... end his life."

"He went to... _them._" Eleazar sighed, understanding.

Carlisle nodded sadly. "But Alice was wrong... Bella was alive. So they followed him, in an attempt to save him..."

"Alice took the human girl to _The Volturi?_" Eleazar asked shocked.

"She saw that it was the only way." Carlisle tried to justify.

"And now..." Tanya began, finally catching up with the grief surrounding her.

"It's been five hours since they would have arrived there." Carlisle breathed.

Carmen looked over at her mate, knowing what this meant. Her eyes moved to Jasper who was still in Eleazar's arms. He knew it too. They all did.

There was no question or doubt in any of their minds anymore. As far as they were concerned, the lives of Edward, Bella and Alice were over... and as far as Jasper was concerned... so was his.

"We'll let you be." Tanya whispered. "We won't be far, so call if you need us." She said to Carlisle as she walked past him. She squeezed Esme's hand and smiled sympathetically, though Esme did not relax her aching expression.

The rest of the Denali's followed Tanya's exit, letting go of the restrained Cullen's in their grasps, but none ran away. Nobody moved. Stillness came so naturally to their kind, but there was nothing natural about this.

A few minutes had passed when the sound of Carlisle's cell phone rang. The sound was muted as it was coming from the house almost half a mile away.

Jasper was first to react, though it was not in the way anyone expected. "The taunting begins." He roared angrily, running back towards the house.

In his mind, he had no doubt that it would be one of the Volturi's minions, informing them of Alice's, Edward's and Bella's death. He had seen this happen before, on a somewhat smaller scale. The friends or mates of a 'law-breaker' would be told of their destruction as a warning... so they would not follow their footsteps. The Volturi were not scared of retaliation. There was no need to be.

"What do you want from us?" He screamed into the phone, just as the rest of his family appeared at his side. Jasper's eyes burned a darker shade of black – not through thirst, but through the sheer anger boiling through every inch of his body. His hand was coiled so tight around the cell phone that it was one nanosecond away from crumbling into dust.

_"Um, well a 'Hello' would be nice!" _Alice's voice chimed ever so sarcastically.

Emmett's eyes widened and a huge grin stretched across his face and he pulled an incredulous but relieved Rosalie towards him. She closed her eyes and tightened her fingers around his t-shirt, burying her face in his torso.

"Alice." Esme exhaled, stumbling backwards, bringing her hands together and holding them to her chest.

Jaspers breath left his body all at once and seemed to take his consciousness with him. He lost control of his body and his knees buckled from underneath him, both of which came into contact with Tanya's hardwood flooring with a muted crack. His mouth hung open slightly and his eyes blinked and flickered as if he was replaying her words a million times over. His right hand still clasped the phone tightly meaning Carlisle had to prise it from his stony fingers.

_"Jasper?" _Alice's voice sang.

"Alice." Carlisle spoke into the phone, letting her hear his complete relief.

_"Oh, Daddy." _She replied in the same tone. _"Where's Jasper?"_

"He's here Alice, love. It's just a lot for him to take in. He thought you were... gone. We all did." He said sadly.

_"I know," _She replied softly. _"I'm so sorry Carlisle. I would have called sooner, but we've only just left."_

"We?" Carlisle asked. "You mean... Edward... Bella... they're..."

_"Of course they are! What do you take me for?"_ She joked.

Emmett's roaring cheers echoed throughout the room. "I told you so! I said all along didn't I? Come on!" He kissed Rosalie strongly on the top of her head who laughed lightly in reply. With Rose in one of his arms he ran to Esme, picking her up in his other, embracing both of them.

Carlisle smiled widely. "Are you on your way home now?"

The sound of a car door popping open on the other end of the phone answered his question.

Alice giggled angelically, _"As I speak. I'm just waiting for Bella and Edward. I can see that we'll get a short flight to Rome and then to Atlanta. But we'll be getting into Sea-Tac at 12:15 tonight."_

"Seattle?" Carlisle questioned. "Ah, Bella, of course. You need to get her home first. When are you getting back to Alaska?"

_"I'm not going back to Alaska, Carlisle." _She giggled again.

Jaspers head snapped into the direction of Alice's voice ringing through the phone. He snatched it from Carlisle's hand which was already beginning to release the cell after seeing his hasty movements.

"What do you mean, Alice?" He bellowed. "You come straight back to me this instant!"

_"Jasper, darling." _She soothed. _"None of us are staying in Alaska anymore. We're going back to Forks, Jazz. I can see it now... and it's clearer than anything I've ever seen before!"_

"Alice." He said warily. "Are you sure about this?"

She sighed heavily. _"Look, I know I haven't exactly been spot on recently...something to do with the werewolves I think... but I'm right about this, Jazz! Everything's going to be ok now... back to normal!"_

"Alice? What did you just say?"

_"I'll explain everything later – So much has happened, Jazz. _So _much! I'll call you in a few __hours. I've got to go now, I can see Bella and Edward coming."_

"Alice!" He said again.

_"We're going to be rushing from now on so I won't be able to talk for a while but I'll call you when we leave Rome." _She said quickly, ignoring his words.

"No, Alice. Wait!"

_"I'm sorry. I'll speak to you soon. I love you Jasper."_

He sighed, defeated. "I love you too." He replied, as the line went dead. "I never thought I'd say those words again." He said seriously, turning back to his family.

Silence hung over the room. But the far too familiar cold, dejected and grief stricken atmosphere had been replaced by warmth, excitement and pure elation.

"They did it." Esme breathed. "He's safe. They all are. I can't believe it!" She ran into Carlisle's arms and held him close, pulling Jasper into their embrace. As much as she wished and hoped that this would be the outcome, she couldn't deny – even to herself – the fact that she believed it was an impossibility.

"And we're going home!" Emmett roared excitedly.

Carlisle smiled widely and felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders. He felt so light that he believed even the lightest of breezes would have lifted him off his feet. But something Alice had mentioned was keeping him grounded. _Wolves? Again? How? Why now? _He questioned his own mind. "And it looks like we may have some old _friends_ waiting for us when we get there!" He said in a light-hearted manner, though inside he was truly worried. These could not be the same men with whom they agreed the treaty, which could be problematic – especially with Bella now involved again.

Jasper of course felt the uncertainness emanating from his adoptive father. Himself and Alice had never encountered the wolves that Carlisle was talking about, but they had been informed about them when they followed the family to Forks two years ago. Jasper remembered laughing about it, not comprehending the idea of werewolves. _Ridiculous, _he had said. But he had no doubt now. Now that Alice had been in close proximity of them – beasts that are apparently capable of killing her, that somehow affected the accurateness of her visions therefore making her nothing but a very, _very _small, _breakable _being.

"Do you believe they are dangerous Carlisle? That they pose a threat to us? Is it even _safe_ to go home?" He asked.

Carlisle grimaced. "They are dangerous and very capable of destroying members of our kind. But they do so to protect, not to attack. We give them no reason to break the treaty that has already been set – and that we have stuck by!"

A grinning Emmett released Rosalie from his arms and raced towards the stairs. "We can talk about it all later – when Alice actually explains what she means! When we get back home!"

"Where are you going?" Rosalie asked.

He skidded to a stop, leaving a rubber streak across the floor and turned to face his family. "I've got eighteen hours to get my brand new _ TV to be redirected to Forks instead of New York, I've got to pack and drive everything back home! _I _haven't got enough time to lounge about! I know I'm fast... but not that fast!"

A light laughter resounded around the room as Emmett continued on his planned path. After a few seconds of rummaging around the closet in the main room, he ran back down the coiled stairs and stared into his family's smiling faces.

"A little help!" He cried.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N:**__**To quote Paramore "things are looking up, oh finally..." I think we're over the worst of it... no more depression, no more sobbing... just happy, happy, happy!... well kind of... it wouldn't really be the Cullen's if that was the case! Hope you like xxx)**_

"Tanya!" Esme called leaping out into the green. "Tanya!" She cried again, her voice louder than necessary with the excitement cascading through her.

Tanya was standing in front of Esme within a second, Eleazar standing on her left with Carmen behind him and Kate flanking her right side. Their eyes scanned the house in front of them for any fleeing vampires.

"What's happening?" Kate asked, registering the four familiar scents of Carlisle, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper coming from their home.

Esme smiled delicately and couldn't believe she was saying the words. "They're safe."

"Oh thank God." Carmen exhaled, closing her eyes gently.

"All of them?" Eleazar asked, stepping forward. "Even the girl?"

Esme nodded, her smile growing wider. "Alice just called. It appears as though they had stayed inside until sunset and so were unable to call us until now. They're getting back tonight."

"I can't believe it." Eleazar said, confounded. "They let them go?" Though it had been many centuries since his time with the Volturi, he couldn't imagine that their mindset had changed that much. _Have they lost it? Bella, a human girl who knows far too much. Edward, an immortal who had broken the most important rule and exposed their species. And Alice... whose abilities would make them even more knowledgeable and formidable... completely and undeniably unstoppable, someone, who if I had found her during my employment, would wave made me a God in their ranks. But they were allowed to just walk away, when it would have been so easy to stop them. There must be a reason... and I'm sure the human girl is the link... she's special, and Aro knows it, _Eleazar assumed.

"You're leaving?" Tanya asked, changing the subject seeing Emmett already loading up the large moving truck. "Where are you going? To your new home? In New York?" She said hopefully, but knowing where they were most likely heading.

Carlisle's arm was suddenly around Esme's shoulders. "Not quite, Tanya." He smiled. "We're heading back to Forks."

Carmen's face lit up, the dimples either side of her lips deepening in her olive skin. But Tanya's face fell into a sour pout. She didn't want them to leave – especially since they were going back _there..._ to the human. She would have liked to have spent some time alone with Edward.

"Oh, we've got so much to do!" Esme clapped her hands together excitedly and turned back to Carlisle. "What should we do about the New York house? We've only just finished it. Should we sell it?"

He started walking back to the house. "I don't see the need. We could just add it to the Cullen Real-Estate." He smiled. "Besides, it will only be a few years until we have to move on again."

"Carlisle," Eleazar's voice called from behind them, interrupting them. "The girl... what do you intend to do with her?" He said awkwardly.

Carlisle turned to his friend, sombrely. "That is something I have no control over. Bella and Edward will have to talk about it more, but from what I understand their opinions are poles apart."

"But there is a reason why they let her go... _alive. _And I'd bet that the terms of that agreement were that she is to be changed."

Esme looked worryingly at her husband. _It appears as though we're not out of the storm just yet. _

Carlisle knew what Eleazar meant and that it was most likely to be true. But the decision was not his to make. "Edward will not have it." He said, knowing all too well his son's opinion on the matter.

Eleazar shook his head. "It would not be difficult for them to find you all. Demetri's talent is incontestable."

"You'll be at the top of their hit list until she's one of us." Kate said, looking seriously into his eyes.

"And believe us, Carlisle... that is not somewhere you want to be." Tanya said, finishing Kate's thoughts, and speaking from their own unfortunate experience.

Kate rested her hand at the top of Tanya's arm and the four of them walked slowly towards their house to help their cousins pack.

The conversation had not gone unheard by Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie.

Emmett had already voiced his opinions about the matter on one of the many days that Bella had come to their house over the summer. He didn't see anything wrong with the world that Carlisle had brought him into. How could a world where he could be with Rosalie be a bad place? He knew that Bella agreed with him, and he was excited that her presence in their family would be made official soon. He had missed her so much, and believed that only an eternal life with her as his sister would make up for it.

Rosalie's eyes looked worryingly over to her husband; she knew that if _and when_ it came to it, he would side with Bella. Even the over-cautious Jasper would agree. He would never stop Alice from getting her way, who Rosalie was sure would be jumping at the chance to get it over and done with. And after all, it would be a lot easier for him. Rosalie looked around her family and doubted that anyone would take her side... apart from Edward.

With the added help from Tanya, Kate, Carmen and Eleazar the Cullen's were packed in no time. Emmett had just packed the last box into the truck and everybody was preparing to drive the convoy of cars back to Forks. Carlisle was driving the van, Esme was taking Edward's Volvo and Jasper was taking the Vanquish, Emmett was taking his Jeep and Rosalie was taking her BMW. She was fumbling with her keys in the doorway, waiting for Esme and Carlisle to end their goodbyes, in two minds whether to speak to Carlisle about Bella or not.

"Thank you, again, Tanya... For letting us stay here for so long." Esme said.

Tanya smiled, "Anytime. It'll be so empty around here now. Especially with that big lump out of the way..." She added, nodding her head towards Emmett who laughed loudly. "Don't be a stranger though."

"Same applies to you, Tanya. It's been a while since you all graced our home with your presence." Carlisle smiled.

"We're sorry about that." Kate interrupted. "But ever since that _Laurent _joined us... well we had our hands full." Kate added, sourly. She did not like Laurent, neither did the other three, and she was grateful – and unsurprised – when he eventually took off, but the fact that Irina had left a few months ago to find him sadden them deeply.

"Of course." Esme said delicately, "and you will let us know when Irina comes home, won't you? I don't want to be worrying about her too."

Tanya nodded and embraced each member of her extended family.

"Please bear in mind what I said about Bella, Carlisle..." Eleazar said seriously when he shook Carlisle's hand. "What Kate said was true... you're putting your family in danger by keeping her human."

"I know, Eleazar." Carlisle sighed. "And I'm sure it will be discussed eventually... but I think getting Bella home, to her father, is the only thing we need to consider for now."

Eleazar raised his eyebrows, believing that Carlisle was not seeing the importance of this decision.

"Oh and Jasper!" Tanya called from the front door. "You still owe me a new phone!" She laughed as she shut the front door between her coven and the Cullen's.

"Ca... Carlisle?" Rosalie whispered just before they all reached their vehicles. "I don't think we should change Bella."

Carlisle stopped and sighed. He was not surprised by her words – she had not made any effort to hide her distaste of Carlisle's methods of saving her, though he hoped that by saving Emmett for her had managed to make some form of amends.

"We can talk about it later, Rosalie." He said.

"But –"

"_Later, _Rosalie. Let's just get back and then we can get to the airport. There are more important things to do first."

"But you can't let that happen to Bella." She shouted anyway knowing that this was probably going to be the only opportunity for her to voice her views. She was pretty sure that as soon as Bella pleas her case then everybody else would feel too guilty to say no. "She'll be giving up so much, more than she realises. She can't! Edward's right... it's not how it's meant to be."

"And then we'll have to go through _this_ again in another seventy years..." Carlisle replied raising his hands, his voice graver. "We all know now that as soon as Bella dies – naturally or not - Edward will not be far behind her. If I have to choose between my son's death or giving the love of his _existence _immortality..." He sighed, knowing that this would hurt his daughter, "Well... my choice is simple."

And for that, Rosalie had no answer. But she had no doubt that the topic would come up again... soon. She nodded acceptingly, not wanting to argue anymore. She had always found it difficult to understand opinions that differed from her own. In the heat of her transformation, Rosalie's thoughts circled around what had happened to her... what had brought her so close to death. She didn't understand what those men were doing, or why, and as far as she was concerned, this trait was something that was exaggerated in this new, immortal life.

One thing she did understand though was Edward's love for Bella... and her love for him. It was something she did not comprehend until two days ago, but as she looked at Emmett now, she had no doubt. _Any _of them would have done the same if they were in Edward's or Bella's shoes.

She walked slowly to her BMW and revved the engine loudly, taking off quickly into the Alaskan hills. She promised herself that she would speak to Bella about it and make her think about the important things before she went through with it... But before then she needed the alone time to think of what she was going to say to Edward and Bella, to apologise, to beg for forgiveness... something she was not used to doing. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be done.

Jasper had been driving for no more than two minutes before the cell phone in his hand started ringing.

"Alice." He breathed, once again not believing that he was saying her name again.

"_Not bad timing if I do say so myself." _She laughed musically down the phone.

"Where are you now?" He asked quickly.

"_We've just taken off from Rome. Only fifteen hours to go!"_

"That's fifteen hours too long... Heck, its four days too long Alice." He said rubbing the side of his head.

Alice sighed on the other end of the phone. _"Tell me about it. I've missed you so much Jasper. I've needed you every step of the way... to calm me down, to give me a shred of confidence, to look after me..."_

"But you did it Alice. Against all the odds_."_

"_I couldn't have done it without Bella. She was so brave Jazz, stronger than any of us. You should have seen her standing in front of Aro, shouting at Jane! I would have been proud if I wasn't so petrified..."_

Jasper gripped on to the steering wheel tightly, the whites of his knuckles showing. "You... they... You spoke to them? _Bella _spoke to them?"

"_Yeah, where do you think we were all this time?" _

"Um, Esme said something about you staying out of the sun..."

Alice scoffed into the phone, _"Something like that I suppose..."_

"Alice... what happened?" Jasper asked, realising that none of them actually knew what had happened.

Alice sighed. _"Bella got to him just in time... and I mean just. He was about to step into the sunlight in the middle of the town square. Hundreds of witnesses. The guard were literally mid spring when Bella ran into him and forced him into the shade." _Her voice lowered. _"I could see that that wasn't the end though... it had only just begun. I tried to get to them, but they were everywhere." _She spoke the words carefully and softly. _"Every alley, every roof top... anywhere there was a speck of shade. But I saw a way to get to them. By the time I got there, there were only two of the guards with them. Demetri and Felix, I believe."_

Jasper's breath stuttered at the names. He didn't even want to imagine Alice standing beside Felix. He must have been almost double her height – let alone one of the strongest fighters in existence and easily the best fighter. Jasper thought that perhaps if he and Emmett were working together they might match the giant's abilities... but alone – they'd be useless.

"_I tell you they didn't like it when the numbers had evened up... Don't think they were used to it. But then again, it didn't last long." _She sighed again. _"Jane took us all to the main hall."_

"Alice!" Jasper screamed. "Do you have any idea how dangerous she is? You had no need to be there! You promised me that you would do everything you could to get out!"

"_It doesn't matter now. It all worked out in the end. In fact, they would both be dead if I hadn't have gone with them. Aro said he would only let us go if we had the intention of changing Bella..."_

_Eleazar was right, _Jasper thought.

"_... But Edward didn't... and you can't lie to Aro. So I had to show him. He saw my vision of Bella as one of us... and he let us go. But we were told that we had to wait until the evening."_

"That's a dangerous game Alice!" Jasper called into the phone. "He knows everything about you now. Everything you've thought, everything you've _seen –_"

"_You don't think I know that?" _Her voice was lower than a whisper, but sounded like a hiss. _"It was awful, showing him everything. Every kiss, every touch, every precious moment. It felt so... violating. But it was the price I had to pay... and I would pay it a million times over if it meant I would save their lives."_

"I know, I know my darling." He soothed, wishing he was with her to calm her unsteadiness.

There was silence for a few moments before Alice spoke again. _"How is everyone anyway? I can see that Rosalie's got a few things to say."_

"When hasn't she?" Jasper laughed. "You know what her opinions of changing Bella are. She's not going to let this one go easily. As for everyone else... well they're just so happy that they get to see you all again."

"_Ditto." _Alice laughed gently.

"How are Edward and Bella?"

Alice exhaled again, but this time more frustrated. _"They're fine. Inseparable. Bella won't even sleep. We keep telling her to get some rest, but she won't listen to either of us. She's going to be in bed all day tomorrow now! And when she wakes up... well lets just say that Edwards going to be even more trouble than Rose!"_

Jasper laughed again. "Can't wait. Nothing says home like a dramatic debate!"

"_Especially in our home." _Alice agreed. _"Speaking of which, will you and Emmett please help Esme when you get there! There are more important things to do than set up Emmett's new television! To be honest, I suggest that you don't even get it out yet... just wait a few more days!"_

Jasper laughed. There was higher chance of him and Emmett starting a fiery affair than waiting a 'few more days' to play with Emmett's new T.V.. "I'll see what I can do..."

"_Hmm..." _Alice moaned, not believing it for a second. _"Well he can't say I didn't warn him!" _Her voice suddenly changed tone. _"And Jasper... please be careful when you get home."_

"Are you talking about these wolves?" He said gravely.

"_They're huge Jasper! And angry! Stupid, moody, teenage... dogs! And they've grown quite... attached to Bella. One especially. I'm pretty sure he's in love with her!" _She said ever so quietly, as though she was trying to keep it from Edward – though speaking softly would do no good.

Jasper almost laughed. "And what does Bella think about this?"

"_Ergh, she's even worse! She called him her _best friend, _Jasper... Her _best friend! _I'm supposed to be her best friend! Edward's ruined everything!"_

"Alice, I'm sure she still loves you –"

"_Of course she does! But my point still stands. Our actions have done nothing but bad to things to her – as I always knew they would! Only Bella would seek out the only thing on this planet as dangerous as vampires after we left!"_

"Edward wasn't exaggerating when he called her a danger magnet then?" He replied, trying to repress the time when she had drawn the darkest side of him to her.

"_Yeah... Well their presence is going to make everything a lot harder – especially with this new development. Rosalie's going to have a lot more people on her side. Not that I can see anything..." _She added, but more to herself.

"What? They have that much effect on your visions?"

"_Unfortunately. That's why I didn't see Bella get pulled out of the water after she jumped... the one that's in love with her did it. It's also why I didn't see Victoria and Laurent go back to Forks either!"_

"Victoria? And Laurent?" Jasper questioned. "What were they doing there?"

"_They were after Bella, Jazz. Revenge... for James's death. But it's ok, now we're back _we_ can take care of Bella. Victoria's still around, but at least the dogs were handy for a while... They got rid of that Laurent. Apparently Bella managed to attract him as well! But of course I missed it all! Everything just goes black whenever they're involved... So inconvenient!"_

"_Call time over. Call time over." _The same mechanical voice from two days ago said.

Alice growled. _"As is that!"_

"I'll see you soon my darling." Jasper said, much happier and relaxed now he had spoken to his Alice, but now even more afraid for her safety. He wouldn't let her out of his sight until these wolves were under control.

"_Not long now. I love you, Jasper." _

"I know." Jasper said, as the line bleeped.

He could feel the calm emanating from his body, something he was sure that the sound of Alice's beautiful and care free laughter had caused. He didn't know how he was going to react when he finally got to see her. He was so convinced that he had lost her forever, and that he was never going to see her impish smile or hold her tiny frame in his large, scarred arms again that he still couldn't believe that she was coming home, and he would see her soon. The dim and cloudy Alaskan sky began to lighten with the morning sun, though it still kept its cover. The day had only just begun, but Jasper could not wait till it was over.

Jasper eventually arrived home, a few minutes after Rosalie. He pulled into the garage and the engine whined to a stop.

"It needs tuning again." The grim, depleted, but attractive voice of Rosalie called, taking Jasper by surprise. She was still sitting in her BMW.

Jasper got out of the car steadily and smoothly shut the door. "What are you still doing in here Rose?"

But she didn't need to answer. He could feel her remorse, her fear, her... sadness. Each feeling was so different, but all equally pronounced. He swiftly went to open her door, but she wasn't moving. He knelt down beside her and went to put his hand on her arm, wanting to calm her down.

"Don't Jasper." She said, moving her arm away. "I don't deserve it."

"Rose –" He tried to interrupt.

"I've hurt so many people." She turned to face him, her jaw was set tight. "You wanted to kill me because of what I did." She laughed ironically and looked away again. "And I wouldn't have blamed you."

Jasper couldn't deny it. The anger swimming through him when he realised the danger Rosalie had put Alice him wanted nothing more than for him to seek revenge. "You're right. But it was completely instinctual. The animal or monster inside me wouldn't have thought twice about ripping your head off..."

Rosalie scoffed again.

"... But as your _brother..._ it was easy to forgive you. And Edward will as well."

She looked at her brother, one of her delicate eyebrows raised. They both laughed lightly.

"You can be such a sop sometimes." She said, pushing Jasper out of the way so she could get out.

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled, following her. "Worked though."

She rolled her eyes as she opened the door into their home.

The large couches were still there, though they were covered in a thin layer of dust. Rosalie's eyes roamed the large living room and finally fell on Edward's piano in the corner of the room. The layer of dust was much more pronounced on this smooth flat surface. She inspected it for a moment, measuring how much dust had fallen. It was the only physical thing that determined the amount of time that they had been away.

"Too long." She said, only to herself.

It wasn't long before Emmett and Esme arrived, only seconds apart.

"Oh, it's awful in here! So dirty." She ran to a cupboard in the kitchen and handed a can of spray and a cloth to three of her adopted children. "Rose, boys. Give me a hand."

"Sorry ma, can't do." Emmett called. He ran to the doorstep and returned with one of the largest boxes Esme had ever seen in his hands. " I've got to set up this bad boy! Can't believe it beat me here. I suppose that's what you get for being a 'Platinum Customer'." He laughed.

Jasper laughed along with him. _So this is what Alice meant, _he thought_. _"I don't know Em, Alice mentioned something about no setting it up yet..."

The two boys looked at each other for a few moments, until they both laughed... loudly.

"Yeah, ok..." Emmett cried. "Now, where shall I put it?"

"I've got a good idea where it can go..." Esme joked, nodding her head in the direction of the large hole Emmett had made in the wall before they left all those months ago.

Emmett grinned widely. "I'll go get some plaster!"

"Yeah, you do that." Esme nodded sarcastically.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters**

_**(A/N: This and the previous chapter were originally intended to be one chapter but it kinda stretched out into two...I didn't want to miss out Jasper's call from Alice and a serious conversation about Bella's immortality. Anyway, I know it wasn't very interesting which is why I'm posting two chapters today to make up for it haha. I so glad that Emmett is 'back to normal' in this chapter... I've missed writing about his happy, hilarious and joyful attitude. Enjoy... because, honey, they're hooooooommeee!)**_

Carlisle pulled up almost an hour later, the engine and weight of the large truck making him no match for the pristine cars the rest of his family were driving.

Within a few hours the family had moved the contents of the van to appropriate places in their home. It looked exactly the same now, as though they had never left.

"What time do we need to leave?" Rosalie asked Carlisle. Of course, they were all heading to the airport to greet Edward, Alice and Bella. Though Rosalie was much more apprehensive then the others. Despite Jasper's kind words, she knew Edward wouldn't be quite as forgiving.

"We've still got a while, Rosalie." He looked over to Jasper and his eyebrows furrowed in his head. He knew what had to be done before they left, but didn't want to upset his son. "I think we should use this time to hunt."

Esme's head shot to her husband, knowing that his words would have hurt Jasper's feelings. "_Carlisle._ It's only been a couple of days..." _He's been so good... done so well. _Her thoughts went back to times over the last six months where Jasper had taken it upon himself to purposefully wonder into highly populated places – something he normally avoided completely. At first she had been extremely concerned... _why even risk it? It will only hurt him more... _she had thought. But he had been fine. He had tested his control to his limits, sitting on densely packed buses, sitting in parks for hours, having many conversations with many humans, _He was such a gentleman, _she thought proudly. "I'm sure there's no need to –"

"I say it just so we can give Edward some piece of mind." He justified.

Jasper sighed and ran out of the French doors that lead to the local forest. He didn't need to argue. Regrettably, this was something he would have to get used to. He doubted that Edward would even let him in close proximity of Bella for a while – maybe even forever. But he had been so... understanding when it had happened.

"_Edward, I'm so sorry." Jasper had called when he had finally calmed down, miles away from the house. "Is she ok? Is Bella ok?" He screamed. "What have I done?" The dark shadow of Edward was stalking towards him and he was sure that this would end in a fight. And he would take it. He hoped that Emmett – who was still holding him – would step in eventually before it got too bad._

"_Emmett," Edward breathed, his eyes closed. "Let him go. He's fine now."_

_Emmett did so without asking. "Look, Edward... It wasn't his –" Emmett begged for his brother, though he had no reason to. He hadn't done anything wrong._

"_I know." Edward said, completely emotionless. He opened his eyes and looked at Jasper who was mentally begging for forgiveness. "It's ok Jasper. I'm sorry I had to do that to you, but it was the only way to protect her."_

_Jasper was stunned into silence; Edward should not have been the one apologising. _

"_Edward?" Alice's soprano voice rang from behind Edward. "What are you planning? What are you going to do?"_

_He turned his back to them all and walked back to the house. "Something I should have done months ago."_

Jasper had not understood at the time, but he soon realised that Edward had blamed himself, for putting Bella in such danger. _But I don't need to be the danger anymore, _he thought to himself.

They had all hunted together for almost two hours before they returned home.

Jasper was running with Emmett at the front with Rosalie a few paces behind them and Carlisle and Esme running no more than a second after her. But they all came to a solid stop when Emmett growled loudly. His body was tense as it always was when he was preparing for a fight.

Jasper looked at him confused, he hadn't seen or heard anything. He inhaled deeply, hoping that would answer some questions, but the scent around him almost made him gag. "Carlisle? What is that _smell_?" His nose wrinkled at the fresh, foul air around him, no more than twenty minutes old.

Rosalie's face turned harsh, "It's exactly what it smells like, Jasper. Stinky, wet... _dog!_" She hissed, and Esme joined her.

Jasper growled. "They've been _here_?"

"Carlisle this is out of order!" Esme rebuked. "This is our land!"

He didn't answer. Instead he kept on running towards to house and was disappointed to see that the scent continued there as well.

"They've been to our _home _as well?" Rosalie screeched.

Emmett ran to the front of the house and back.

"_What_ are you doing?" Rosalie whispered.

He shrugged, "I was just checking to see if they left a steamy, hot pile of..."

"Emmett!" Esme warned.

"... on the doorstep!" He grinned. "But they didn't. They missed a trick there! That's what I would have done... If I was them."

His family stared at him for a moment and Rosalie rolled her eyes. "_Idiot!" _She muttered under her breath.

"Why did they come here?" Jasper snarled, ignoring Emmett's humour. "Isn't it against the treaty?"

Carlisle shook his head. "They didn't come here to fight. There was only three of them, and they were not here for long. Their scent goes to the window and back into the forest again. It appears as though they were checking to see if we had returned for good."

"Well it's none of their business!" Esme sighed, as she went back into the house.

"Wait!" Jasper said, remembering what Alice had mentioned earlier. "Alice said that they're not the only visitors we've had since we've been away."

"What do you mean Jasper?" Carlisle asked.

"You know Edward was tracking Victoria?" They all nodded. "Well, he obviously didn't do a very good job because she's been _here_ for the last few months."

Esme gasped. "What? But we chased her out of Forks! Why was she here?"

Rosalie scoffed, "Isn't it obvious? We killed her mate. She wants revenge."

Emmett's booming laugh vibrated from his chest. "Good luck to her!" He said sarcastically, knowing that she wouldn't stand a chance against the seven of them.

"It's not us she cares about, Em... It's Bella she wants dead. She was just taking advantage of our... absence to get to her, but it appears as though she didn't count on the wolves to step in. Speaking of which..." Jasper grimaced as he turned to face Carlisle. "You might want to call Tanya... Alice said the wolves killed Laurent."

Carlisle sighed, he knew that Tanya would not care about his death... But it was sure to cause disruption in her family. _Irina will be heartbroken, _he thought. "I'll call her now. Emmett you go with Rosalie, run east and see if you can pick anything up." He said authoritatively. "Jasper, you and Esme run west. But stay clear of the treaty line." He sighed. "I'll find you later."

After a few hours a patrolling the perimeter around their home to make sure they weren't being watched, they returned. They found nothing but the disgustingly pungent scents of the wolves and the almost sickly sweet scent of Victoria. Some trails were weeks old, some days... but none were fresh. She had not returned recently, but she had been _everywhere_, almost as if she was trying to get a complete sense of the shape or structure of the land around here.

"I suggest we don't get preoccupied with this." Carlisle said. "Perhaps Alice would be able to give us some insight when she returns."

Hearing Alice's name being mentioned sparked a rush of adrenaline in Jasper's body. It wasn't long now – they'd be leaving in any minute.

"Woah, Jazz... calm down." Emmett jeered. "You're getting me all..." He shook his hands at the side of his head, not being able to explain whatever it was Jasper had unknowingly forced them all to feel.

Carlisle laughed smoothly. "We'll all take Edward's Volvo and then Jasper can take Alice, Edward and Bella back in my car."

Rosalie's breath stuttered from the corner of the room. "Can I take Bella and Edward home? A- Alice can still ride with you Jazz... I just want some time to say... well, you know."

Carlisle nodded. "Of course... there's a spare pair of keys for the sedan in the draw in the garage. You take them; I think Bella would be more comfortable in there."

They all got into the Volvo, and nobody said anything all the way to the airport. The silence was not uncomfortable, nor was talking necessary. Nothing needed to be said. Each of them were eager for their family's return and Rosalie was running through her apology in her mind, hoping that Edward would be able to see her side of the story.

They arrived at the airport with ten minutes to spare. The dark night's sky provided the perfect cover for them as they moved fluidly from the parking lot.

"Carlisle. The car's here!" Esme called.

Rosalie rushed to her side. "I'll stay here, and you can meet us in a bit... We don't want to overwhelm Bella."

Esme nodded and continued to the entrance with Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper.

"Emmett, can you wait with me?" Rosalie asked.

"Oh, but I want to see Bel-" He attempted to argue.

"_Emmett." _She whispered. "Please?"

He rushed back to her side and leant against the car, watching the others enter the lit up building.

Jasper had already spotted the correct arrival gate before Esme and Carlisle joined him. They just followed. He stood with them in a quiet area, away from the buzz of late night travellers. His eyes stared at the exit where Alice would be walking through shortly. He wasn't blinking so hoped that nobody was paying close attention to him at this point in time.

After a minute the sweetest, citrusy scent that he knew so well wrapped itself around him. Without even realising it, he started moving forward, letting the enticing scent of Alice pull him towards her.

He saw her then, dancing towards him flawlessly.

She smiled at him delicately as his eyes burned into the deepest areas of her soul.

He was overcome with the love radiating off of her and couldn't contain it within himself. He set it loose upon the people around him which hit everyone in a ten meter radius like a tidal wave. But he could see none of this, for he saw only her.

His love hit Alice just as hard, which she then sent back to him causing a whirlwind of undying love reverberating around the two beautiful immortals. It held them both in place, about half a yard away from each other. There was no need to say anything, no need to touch, no need to kiss – these were things people did to show and share their love, but nobody would ever understand true love more than Jasper and Alice did now.

They looked deep into each other's eyes. The danger, anxiety and sadness of the last few days were forgotten – impossible for either of them to remember. They had each other, and always would. That was all that mattered at this point in time.

A few metres behind them Esme and Carlisle embraced Bella and Edward , thanking their human daughter for her courage and bravery and reprimanding their son for the fear he had laid upon them, just as any loving parent would.

Alice saw the rest of her family turning to leave and held on to Jasper's hand. The physical connection did nothing but accentuate the love cascading between them. Alice laughed when she finally noticed all the kissing couples around them and led Jasper back to the parking garage.

They soon caught up with Esme and Carlisle.

"Let her make amends," Esme begged for the nervous Rosalie who was finding it difficult to make eye contact with Edward. "We'll ride with Alice and Jasper."

Without waiting for Edward to argue, they turned their backs to them and walked back to Alice and Jasper.

Esme stroked Alice's perfectly smooth cheek. "I've missed you sweetheart." She breathed. She moved past Alice next to Jasper and rubbed his shoulder, thankful that he was happy once again.

Carlisle wrapped his right arm tight around Alice's shoulders as they walked back to the Volvo as a unit, all joined, all connected. "You've got a lot of explaining to do young lady." He joked, posing as the unimpressed father, when really he was beaming with pride. "I'm glad your home." He whispered in her ear.

"Me too... and I'll explain everything in the car." She replied.

And she did. She gave them every necessary detail and replayed every word from the moment she arrived back in Forks to the second she landed in Seattle.

"Edward's going to ask me to be on look out for everything now... Every decision from Volterra, every movement Victoria makes... and as for Bella... he's got me watching her like a hawk!" Alice sighed, already exhausted just thinking about it.

Jasper kissed her on her forehead, which was resting on his chest.

"Oh." Alice suddenly exhaled, sitting up right for the first time since she got in the car. "Esme, can I borrow your cell? Mine ran out of battery a long time ago."

Esme pulled the phone from her pocket and passed it back to Alice who swiftly called Rosalie.

"Rose, tell Emmett to pull over. You too Carlisle." She said simply, as the two cars - that hadn't been two meters away from each other all the way back - came to a gentle stop. "I'll drive Edward and Bella to Charlie's... it wouldn't be a good idea for us all to turn up on his doorstep... especially at this time of night!"

Having being able to have heard her, Emmett and Rosalie got out of the car and made their way to the Volvo, leaving Edward and Bella in the back seat.

"Alice?" Carlisle asked, getting out of the car. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Alice shook her head. "It's ok, it would make sense if he believed everyone was asleep. I'll explain that we've just driven home, and that you will all be joining us tomorrow." She sighed, and looked unhappy. "He's not going to be happy. With any of us." She said, seeing a vision of Charlie's bright red face screaming into the night.

"Alice..." Jasper moaned, also getting out of the car. _I've only just got you back, I don't want to let you go now, _he wanted to say.

"It's ok Jazz." She smiled lovingly. "Wait here, it won't take long." She walked to the large black car, but turned back to them with a grimace on her face. "Just don't let him see you. Don't come over, no matter what he says... ok?"

They watched from a good distance, keeping hidden, watching Alice drive up to the Swan household. She let the car make a bit of extra noise outside, making sure she got Charlie's attention.

Edward got out of the car smoothly as he pulled Bella with him. The car was then illuminated by light shining from behind the front door just as Charlie opened it. Even from where they stood, they could see the large bags under his eyes; he obviously hadn't slept in days.

"Poor Charlie." Esme whimpered.

"Bella!" He shouted as he ran forwards. His feet were clumsy with tiredness.

Alice made her way out of the car slowly as Bella and Edward murmured to each other.

"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here!" Charlie shouted again.

Jasper could feel his anger so easily, but there was another emotion clouding it. "He's more scared than angry." Jasper whispered to his family. "Petrified even!... and confused."

"What's wrong with her?" He commanded, ignoring her protests.

"She's just very tired, Charlie. Please let her rest." Edward begged.

"Don't tell me what to do! Get you're hands off her!" Charlie yelled.

"_Jasper..._" Esme whispered, putting her hand to her mouth. "Can't you calm him down?"

Jasper shook his head. "Not from here..." He disappeared into the trees suddenly, and seconds later came out just behind Bella's house. He jumped onto the roof easily and quietly, and leant over the edge.

Bella continued to protest. "Be mad at me!" She said, her voice finally growing in volume.

"You bet I will be. Get inside!" Charlie said strongly, but quieter with Jasper's subtle calm descending upon him.

"'Kay, let me down." Bella sighed, but no more than a second after her feet touched the ground her knees buckled.

'Oops', Jasper mouthed from the rooftop, his artificial calm atmosphere not helping there.

"Just let me get her upstairs. Then I'll leave." Edward negotiated.

Charlie didn't argue, thanks to Jasper. He stayed on the front step as Edward went inside, staring daggers into Alice's apologetic eyes.

"Just as I thought she was finally getting over him..." He said to himself, though they could all hear him.

"Do Carlisle and Esme know your here?" He said to Alice.

Alice nodded gently. "Yes. They're heading back tomorrow to meet us."

"So do they know what happened?"

"They don't know anymore than you, Charlie. I don't think anybody does apart from Bella and Edward." She lied smoothly. "It's been a confusing and hectic few days." That bit wasn't a lie.

"Well I'll be talking to them about it." He turned his back to her, about to go back into the house. He stopped on the edge of the door way and turned back to her. "I'm really disappointed in you Alice, I thought we got on... I thought you liked me."

"Charlie, I'm –" She tried to interrupt, stepping forward so she was next to him now.

He held out his hand to stop her. "I thought _you_ would have told me what was going on. I've been petrified for that last few days. I didn't know if she was dead, or if she had run away..." His voice drifted into silence as he heard Edward descending the stairs. "_You!" _Charlie practically spat, his hands clenched into fists.

The Cullen's could do nothing but watch as he raised his hands, apparently about to hit Edward.

Having already seen this, Alice gracefully stepped in front of her brother. "No Charlie!" She screamed.

Jasper was almost completely over the edge of the roof. Though Alice wouldn't have been hurt by an accidental attack, he was furious with Charlie for being aggressive towards her.

Alice cringed in character as she showed Edward an image of Charlie in the hospital with a broken hand after punching him.

Charlie sighed and dropped his hands. "Just go. You are not to step through this door _ever_ again!" His eyes flickered to Alice. "Either of you! _Any _of you! Just... stay away from us!" He said slamming the door in their faces.

Edward turned around, holding Alice's shoulder and leading her back to the car in order to finish the pretence. He had no intention of leaving with her tonight. "I'm sorry Alice. None of this is your fault."

But before she had time to reply, Charlie opened the front door again.

"Alice?" He asked, embarrassed. "Do... Do you have somewhere to stay tonight?" His eyes flickered to Edward. "Don't think you're getting an invite... you can sleep on the streets for all I care."

Edward didn't argue.

Alice smiled slightly. "Thank you, Charlie. But there are more than enough beds at our house. I brought a key just in case."

"Ok then." Charlie said, pausing on the step. He didn't want to stay mad at Alice, after all, she had only been looking after her brother. He always knew the Cullen's had been a tight bunch, despite not been related by blood. "Go and get some rest, you must be tired as well."

Alice nodded and yawned to add to the effect. "Goodnight Charlie."

They both got into the car, despite only driving a few hundred feet down the road.

Jasper leapt from the roof and ran along side the car, keeping to the shadows so he couldn't be seen.

"Tough break, Edward." Emmett sighed as they got out of the car, he went to pat him on the back, but Edward had already taken off.

The rest of them followed him, but they were not worried. They knew where he was going.

They all sat on a branch opposite Bella's room together, watching her sleeping ever so deeply, though Edward had only just left, all of them thankful that she was well... that they all were.

Edward was about to jump towards the window, but Alice's hand stopped him. She looked at him seriously and shook her head.

Charlie walked in then and sat on the rocking chair in Bella's room.

Edward groaned, "Even being _this _far away from her is killing me."

"He's not going anywhere tonight Edward." Alice sighed. "You'll have to wait until he's gone to work... But Bella won't wake up until the middle of the night." She added.

"Thank you, Alice. You can go now though. I know you all want to get home."

Rosalie ran off first, Emmett close on her heals. "See you later bro." He said.

Jasper jumped to the ground, pulling Alice with him. "It's good to have you back, Edward."

Alice frowned. "Take care of her Edward. She's going to be confused when she wakes up. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Edward, son..." Carlisle sighed from below, "... There's a lot that we need to talk about. You can stay here until Bella is awake, but don't be away for too long. Esme?"

Esme stroked his concerned face. _I've never seen his eyes so black, _she thought. "Edward, dear... you need to hunt."

Edward shook his head. "Believe me Esme, I've never been more in control of my thirst."

She smiled timidly. _I've only just got him back and he doesn't even want me around..._

"Esme..." Edward whispered awkwardly, "... don't think that... I just need to be here. I'll see you soon."

"Sorry, Edward... we can't always hide our deepest thoughts or wishes, can we?" She smiled as she jumped to the ground with Carlisle. "And try to get something to eat!" She called as they both ran home, missing him already.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or any of its characters **

_**(A/N: I'm an awful person for not updating in literally months! "All a writer needs is a good imagination and a pen"… well in my case I need a computer as well, which I just did not have! Haha! Sorry! Anyway… here's the final chapter of Inner Battles. There is a lot of FLUFF in this... MAJOR FLUFF! But you have been warned! Thank you to everyone who had read this and even reviewed. Means the world! Ellie xx)**_

"You have got to be kidding me!" Emmett screamed from the other room.

"I told you Emmett!" Alice chimed.

Emmett's head hastily appeared around the corner. "You didn't tell me squat! You just leave your creepy encrypted codes with Jasper which I'm apparently supposed to work out. You could have just said… 'Don't unpack it yet Emmett because Edwards going to put his foot through it in a few hours!'" He ranted.

"Emmett – I didn't know _Edward _was going to do it…" Alice tried to explain. "I just knew it was going to ha–"

"Ah, ah, ah… don't want to hear it… first I'm going to make you pay and then… I'm going to kill Edward myself! He won't be scared of the Volturi anymore when I'm through with him…" He walked back mumbling to himself under his breath.

"Emmett…" Esme reprimanded.

Alice just laughed angelically and danced to one of the computers, already ordering her brother a replacement.

"Or…" He added, returning to the doorway. "I could return the favour and break something of his!" His eyes flickered to the room and landed on Edward's piano. He smiled wickedly.

Esme fluttered gracefully to the piano. She didn't need to say anything. Her look said it all. She loved the piano as much as Edward did.

Emmett sighed hard, but then smiled again. "I wonder how long it will take him to spot a missing tire from his beloved Vanquish…" He said, already rushing to the garage.

The rest of the Cullen's started to settle down for the night. Jasper joined Alice on the computer while Rosalie and Esme talked softly by one of the eastern windows, trying to ignore a flying tire that soared past the garden and over a few of the large cedar trees before landing in the forest half a mile away.

A triumphant Emmett returned to the living room a few moments later and joined Rosalie, holding her delicately in his arms. In return she wrapped her arms around him.

Carlisle looked at his family. Each of them had their place here – their purpose. They had completely different qualities which were all equally needed in their own right.

He was their leader, the creator, the proud father. He had the perfect balance of strength, wisdom and compassion which meant that they all looked up to him.

Esme, the heart of the family. Her undying and passionate love for each of them ignited their unity. She was the one who turned this strong coven into a family.

Emmett – the charming older brother with the soul of a child. Strong enough to protect them all, and warm enough to love them unconditionally. He brought energy and an easy going attitude to them all. He was the perfect fit for Rosalie who was everything he was and wasn't at the same time.

She was down to earth, realistic and honest, but her most redeeming quality was the fact that she is fiercely protective of the ones she loves. Always doing what she believes is _best_ for her family. She is more similar to Jasper than the rest of them. Their 'no-nonsense' attitude linking them tactically.

It wasn't just Jasper's superior strategic mind that protected the family, but his ability also. Though the Cullen's love for each other was completely and wholly honest and true, Jasper was able to maintain a calm atmosphere in which they could all live together. Just as Esme made them a family, Jasper gave them a home.

And you couldn't have Jasper without Alice. They were just two parts of the same being – always destined to be together, and to be a part of this family. No matter the benefits it has given the family, her ability is not her most admired quality. Her happiness and optimism give each of them a much needed breath of fresh air everyday. She gives them all hope; it excretes from her as if it runs through her veins – as much a part of her as her hair colour. With her around they have little to worry about.

Edward… _for the past sixty five years he's felt on the outside of our family, _Carlisle thought. But Carlisle knew that the rest looked up to Edward as much as they did to him. After all, he had experienced everything they had _through _them all – as well as having his fair share of troubles. His determination to be _this way_, even when it would have been so easy to turn his back on them, made him a role model. Carlisle had no doubt that he would always have Edward by his side, not necessarily physically – but spiritually.

And finally Bella. Just as Emmett injected energy, Bella injected life. Her acceptance, understanding, faith and trust in each of them gave them pride in themselves. Nobody was better suited to this life than her. It gave her strength when she had none, it gave her love like no other as well as a family worth fighting for – worth dying for.

Apart they were nothing – but together they made _each other_ perfect. It would not be right if even one of them was not to exist.

Unimaginable.

Unconceivable.

Completely and utterly unbalanced.

_A puzzle_, Carlisle thought. A puzzle that had always been missing a piece. He was always able to appreciate the picture, but his eyes couldn't help but notice the blank space. But now he had found it, and the piece fit perfectly. The picture wasn't complete without Bella. They needed her just as much as she needed them.

"Are you alright Carlisle?" Alice suddenly asked delicately, holding on to his upper arm softly. "You look a million miles away." She smiled.

He laughed once in reply, wrapping his arm around her tiny frame. "It felt like it too." He sighed, "Though at the same time, I've never felt closer to home."

"I know exactly what you mean. That's what I've felt like for the last six months!" She replied, after all, she had been missing Bella and Edward so much, but had been living with them in her visions.

"They'll be alright now, won't they? They've learnt from all this trouble?" Carlisle asked, hoping that some good was to come out of the terrible events.

"We all have, Carlisle." Jasper contributed. "We all know now that not one of us can cope with the loss of another. All of our lives are tied together. We all hang in the balance of another."

Alice smiled and nodded along with her husbands words. "I can't see anything like this happening again. We can't survive apart – not one of us!" She sighed, "I'm not saying that we won't have our problems in the future, but I know that if we are all together – well then that's the only way that they can be solved."

"And what of Bella? What do you see happening to her?" Carlisle asked, still worried by Edwards response to their decision.

"Ah, well that's easy! She'll be one of us!" Alice answered quickly and matter-of-fact-ly.

Jasper laughed once at her positive and obvious tone of voice,

"But Edward… he's so… adamant that it will not happen…"

Alice exhaled deeply. "You know I've had this vision in my head – of Bella as one of us – for more than a year now? I was worried when Edward left – I thought the vision would to. But it was always there Carlisle, on the periphery, as though I couldn't look at it directly. But it _never_ disappeared, not once. And now… well it's stronger than ever, even though Edward had never been more apposed to it… and you know why?"

Amazed by her rant, Carlisle just stayed quiet – shaking his head.

"Because as much as Edward believes that it's up to him… the choice is – and always has been – _Bella's! _She knows what she wants and I'll only ever be as sure as she is, but right now… it's like I could reach out and touch her marble skin…" She added, closing her eyes and letting her hand raise forwards to nothing.

The conversation had not gone unnoticed by the other three, who had unknowingly turned their bodies towards Carlisle, Alice and. Together they formed some what of a circle.

Only Rosalie's face betrayed the hopeful and genuinely happy atmosphere that encompassed them all. Though she was glad to be home and ecstatic that her family was well once again, her thoughts couldn't help but think of Bella and what she was throwing away… something that Rosalie would do anything for. _Bella knows what she wants, _Alice had said… _But does she know what she's giving up? _The thoughts made Rosalie angry. _How could she throw away something so precious? _Her thoughts growled.

"You'll get your chance Rose." Alice smiled genuinely, seeing her distress and knowing the reason behind it. "Just be honest with her… Bella will listen to what you have to say."

"But will it change her mind?" Rosalie whispered.

Alice shrugged. "Even I don't know that… because you're probably right, she hasn't even considered it. I don't know what she'll say or do… because _she _doesn't."

Rosalie calmed down at Alice's words, though she didn't know if it was purely down to her or if she had a helping hand. But she would get her chance… that was all that mattered for now. She just hoped that she could do it calmly.

She lost her train of thought when Emmett pulled gently on her arm. He bent his head down to hers and whispered in her ear. "Forget about it now… forget about everything… we haven't had any _alone time_ for ages!"

She flashed a stunning smile at the man she loved more than anything else in the world. The man that had forgiven her immediately in her darkest hour. The man who would fight for her at a moments notice. The man who understood her better than any mind-reader ever could. "I love you Emmett." She breathed.

He kissed her forehead strongly. "I love you too." He replied as they raced each other upstairs.

Not being able to resist the suddenly transformed mood around him, Jasper flung Alice over his shoulder and ran with her to their room. She squealed delightfully.

Carlisle smiled embarrassedly. He knew that such expression of love was a natural aspect of their enhanced lives, and after living with two exuberant couples for the past fifty years, he was well used to their actions. But he couldn't help play the bashful father. He walked over to his smiling wife. "It's a clear night tonight my love, I just love the forest when it's lit like this." He smiled widely. "Fancy accompanying me on a late night stroll?" He winked playfully.

Esme stroked the side of his face. "I'll catch you up in ten seconds." She smiled.

Carlisle ran out the doors, enjoying his first care free run in months, and excited for his wife to join him.

Meanwhile, Esme reached into her purse, pulling out the photo frame that Rosalie had bought for her. She smiled as she looked at it. _I never thought we'd be like this again. _She could have thrown it away – she didn't need it for the intended purpose anymore. But instead she placed it on a bookshelf in the corner of the room. Now it stood for something else… a reminder… a reminder of what love can do to you, what it can steal away from you… and what it can give you.

Pride.

Passion.

Strength.

Honesty.

Protection.

Hope.

Loyalty.

Faith.

All of the qualities of their family. Because when it comes down to it, their family is _love_.


End file.
